Inappropriate Items Left In Cache

[+nfa]

I don't leave lighters in caches in town, but sometimes do in caches in the backcountry, where the may be a lifesaver.

I don't quite see the logic here. If I wanted to save lives this way, I'd nail the matches (or thermal blanket, or long-life high-calorie rations) to a tree with "In case of cold/hunger, open this box" written on a six-foot high fluorescent orange plastic sheet. Putting life-saving items in a well-hidden box which only 0.2% of trail users might even suspect exists, seems to rather miss the point. Unless we want to encourage Darwinian-style survival of cachers above lesser mortals

We're talking about placing stuff in caches here...not just leaving supplies out for people in general

 

If I saw your 6 foot day-glo plastic sheet messing up the backcountry, I'd CITO it...

 

but I assume you were just trolling anyway...

 

nfa

Edited September 21, 2004 by NFA

[+sTeamTraen]

but I assume you were just trolling anyway...

When I started to write my post, I wasn't, but that's kind of how it turned out

[+Team Snoopy]

Just had to add a chuckle about religous material in caches. My 4 year was SO excited to find a little green bible in one cache we found the other day. He quickly grabbed it and started "reading" it on the log we were by. He has been carring around ever since. Just thought it was cute and had to share!

[+briansnat]

Just had to add a chuckle about religous material in caches. My 4 year was SO excited to find a little green bible in one cache we found the other day. He quickly grabbed it and started "reading" it on the log we were by. He has been carring around ever since. Just thought it was cute and had to share!

I hope his mind wasn't poisoned.

[+Planet]

When a rant gets this long, I just can't read it all. But here's some things I thought of saying and replying to.

1. Explanation of Doots It started a long time ago.

 

2. A cacher around here leaves backpacker's toilet paper as a sig item, and I have thanked him on more than one occasion.

 

3. The worst thing I've found in a cache is nothing, it was all strewn all over creation because someone left a can of fish filets in mustard sauce in the cache and some hungry animal chewed the whole cache apart to get at it, and then couldn't even open the can. Yes, I trashed it all out, and no, I didnt eat the fish filets.

 

4. An unused condom is not as bad as finding and almost sitting on a used one!!

 

5. I have quite a nice little collection of small pocket knives going, thank you very much.

 

6. In the words of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young: "Teach you children well" and we shouldn't have to worry about it.

 

7. Brian's also right about the freezing hiker scenario. It could happen. BUt the chances of that happening at that cache are about as slim as someone starting a fire with matches found in a cache.

 

8. It's your cache. If someone puts an item in there you don't think is a good or safe item, then go maintain your cache and remove the offending item.

 

9. I agree that an area that was hit by wildfire is a poor choice of places to put matches AND joke about it.

 

10. I don't read the religious stuff, and I only take it out if it's all wet and going to mold up the cache. In my caching experience, the only paper thing in a cache should be the log book. If you must put something paper in the cache, put it in its own ziplock baggie. Don't add it in with the logbook, it makes it look like the hider might be trying to influence us, and that's not usually the case. I just had to remove some stamps from a waterlogged cache yesterday. I don't know if they had any value or not, they were beyond recognition. Ivan hit CT with floods too.

 

11. Just because I thought 10 things to say wasn't enough. Stop drop and roll, only you can prevent forest fires, don't play with matches, don't play with knives, and never stick anything in your ear sharper than your elbow.

[+roveron]

snip

For what its worth, in this area, during fire bans, the possession of matches in a forest or other wildland is illegal.

Ok, that puts it more in perspective.

Given that, then then matches shouldn't be put in a cache, even during a season when possesion of matches is ok, because they may still be there when it's illegal.

 

If it's never illegal to have them in the area, I don't see a problem with them in a cache, unless the cache might reach a very high internal temp. At least no more problem than putting a magnifying glass in cache. I don't know anyone old enough to be caching on their own who doesn't know how to start a fire with a magnifying glass.

 

So in a nutshell, no matches if it's illegal at any time, for a particular area. No matches if the cache might get really hot.

Otherwise I don't see a problem, some match boxes have really cool designs.

 

FWIW I'm a former firefighter with specialized training in Flammable Hazardous Materials and Explosive and Toxic Materials. I've been burned in fires, fought wildfires and seen people die in fires.

 

Of course, all of the above is merely my opinion.

Edited September 21, 2004 by roveron

[bratc7 & snuzieq]

Being a newbie, I have spent a week or so browsing thru the forum posts, getting a feel for others adventures . . . what to watch out for, what is accepted, etc. I have learned a lot from others mistakes and advice, especially when it comes to using my GPS unit. I have read opinion upon opinion, taken what I could from what I agree with, and left what I might not agree with for someone else (hmmm, much like caching). But I am absolutely appalled at the amount of anger and obscenity that some of these posts escalate to.

I have read personal threats, seen more stars (edit marks) than a clear night in Yosemite, and have secretly hoped that I NEVER run into some people on the hunt. What a wonderful world I have encountered!

Personally, I think I'll spend my energy caching and leave the forums to the more finger-active (no pun intended) than leg-active.

[+briansnat]

Personally, I think I'll spend my energy caching and leave the forums to the more finger-active (no pun intended) than leg-active.

 

Or stay in your regional forum. The climate there tends to be much more pleasant. People are a lot less likely to flame someone they may meet on the trail or at the next event.

[+Torry]

Being a newbie, I have spent a week or so browsing thru the forum posts, getting a feel for others adventures . . . what to watch out for, what is accepted, etc. I have learned a lot from others mistakes and advice, especially when it comes to using my GPS unit. I have read opinion upon opinion, taken what I could from what I agree with, and left what I might not agree with for someone else (hmmm, much like caching). But I am absolutely appalled at the amount of anger and obscenity that some of these posts escalate to.

I have read personal threats, seen more stars (edit marks) than a clear night in Yosemite, and have secretly hoped that I NEVER run into some people on the hunt. What a wonderful world I have encountered!

Personally, I think I'll spend my energy caching and leave the forums to the more finger-active (no pun intended) than leg-active.

Wow! You must not visit too many forums. I settled down here not only for the caching info but for a pleasant place to visit on the net.

 

The flaming, cursing, etc. found here is NOTHING compared to many other sites. There is rarely anything racier than a bikini shot and the mods are good to clean up any loose ends.

[uperdooper]

Being a newbie, I have spent a week or so browsing thru the forum posts, getting a feel for others adventures . . . what to watch out for, what is accepted, etc. I have learned a lot from others mistakes and advice, especially when it comes to using my GPS unit. I have read opinion upon opinion, taken what I could from what I agree with, and left what I might not agree with for someone else (hmmm, much like caching). But I am absolutely appalled at the amount of anger and obscenity that some of these posts escalate to.

I have read personal threats, seen more stars (edit marks) than a clear night in Yosemite, and have secretly hoped that I NEVER run into some people on the hunt. What a wonderful world I have encountered!

Personally, I think I'll spend my energy caching and leave the forums to the more finger-active (no pun intended) than leg-active.

Wow! You must not visit too many forums. I settled down here not only for the caching info but for a pleasant place to visit on the net.

 

The flaming, cursing, etc. found here is NOTHING compared to many other sites. There is rarely anything racier than a bikini shot and the mods are good to clean up any loose ends.

you think this is bad? check out some of the food forums. don't mention martha stewart.

[+Konnarock Kid & Marge]

I am a retired volunteer fireman and this matches thing is getting too hot. While I have never left matches, I have left camping waterproof match containers. Now because someone may actually put matches in the container, should they be banned? Like the toilet paper suggestion. Should it be banned because some dope may use it at the cache site? This gives a whole new meaning to CITO.

Starting fires when they are banned and letting them get out of control is obviously

wrong but banning matches is like banning food from the forest because someone may feed the wildlife or leave their trash behind.

We have fire bans around here all the time during dry seasons but I have never seen or heard of a law banning the possession of matches. Common sense people!

[+roveron]

snip

But I am absolutely appalled at the amount of anger and obscenity that some of these posts escalate to.

snip

I'm a gun owner and visit some gun forums upon occasion. You should see some of the things I'm called because I don't like Bush or his policies regarding Iraq

[+Planet]

Edit to delete myself for not being on topic.

 

NO FOOD IN CACHES!!

 

There, I'm back on topic.

Edited September 23, 2004 by Planet

[+Gonzo-YT]

Re: Matches in a cache.

 

When I place a remote cache, I put a small survival kit inside (not a trade item). One of the items it includes are wooden, strike-anywhere matches inside a waterproof container.

 

I do this for two reasons. One, there is a very remote chance that the kit will help someone who is in trouble. Two, I try to educate people a little bit. The kit includes a note that basically says "Out here, if you aren't carrying this kind of stuff, you should be" and also includes a few basic survival pointers.

[mufasa1023]

Dealing with the Religious Material left in caches is easy, just bring your favorite tracts from a non-majority religion to trade. How often I have left my lesbian aleutian islanders for the rights of mollusks and jesus (pronounced like your in mexico) material. I mean SOMEBODY might be interested in MY beliefs right? Thus they have the right to be in the cache right?

 

Oh by the way.....the LAMJ worships the devil and believes in auto-erotic asphyxiation as a means to getting closer to god....is my material still ok to leave in a cache? What if they simpley had a penchant for killing anyone who doesnt believe the same things that the LAMJ believes?

[+BadAndy]

Certain things are obviously not appropriate trade items. Those would be items that are illegal to possess in that locale. Fireworks, drugs and hand grenades would typically fit into that category. While GC.com stipulates a few other items that shouldn't be left (knives, food, liquids etc), those are guidelines that I may or may not choose to follow. It remains the individual cachers decision what to leave, and what to take.

 

Our own check and balance system.

 

I've ocassionally left pocket knives, waterproof matches and even a few Bush/Cheney bumper stickers (all of which I am ok with).

 

I've ocassionally removed candy bars, LAMJ flyers, and used golf balls (all of which I think are not appropriate).

 

Bottom line, if it's legal and you believe it's appropriate and worthy, leave it. If it's illegal or you don't think it belongs, remove it.

 

My idea of whats appropriate may change depending on the cache itself. Pocket knives or firestarting devices at the end of a 4 mile trail in the bitteroots are ok, but the same items in an urban playground cache probably are a bad idea.

[+BlueDeuce]

Well, I think there are things that are okay to leave in a cache, but there are somethings that you shouldn't. So people really need to make sure they follow that.

[Cholo]

Where's Sparky? His sig line alone would add fuel to this.

 

edit: Sparky hasn't posted since Aug 30, here's part of his sig line

Give a man a match, and he'll stay warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll stay warm for the rest of his life.

It took long enough, but there is now a new thread about "Where's Sparky?".

[+Two & the Zoo]

We found used deodorant once.

 

Glad that someone was fresh...at least on the way to the cache.

[+MickEMT]

I would say that matches are inappropriate for a cache item. Let's face it, someone immature enough to vandalize a cache is immature enough to find the matches and start a fire with them, heck, the idiot(s) might even use them to burn the cache itself!

I've found a knife in one cache, nice little genuine swiss army knife.

 

Mickemt

[+robert]

Found a cup/jockstrap package the other day (unused... at least it appeared to be--and still in the package)

["Paws"itraction]

I believe the primary contents of a match is Red Phosphorus.  It has a auto ignition temperature of 500°F.  A good question is what would happen first - a match auto igniting or McToy 'melt down'.  Maybe I have an experiment to do tonight! 

Half right. Safety matches use Red Phosphorus to ignite, but the RP is in the "scratch strip" and not in the matchhead itself.

 

There's a little bit of information about safety matches here:

in a column of The Straight Dope.

 

Incidentally, he says that without that Red Phosphorus (which isn't in the match head, don't forget), it'd take "more friction than most mortals possess to get a rise out of the match head."

Edited October 8, 2004 by "Paws"itraction

[+TravisTX]

(1) Somewhere in CA there is (was) a cacher that leaves a bullet as a signature item.  - Not good -

 

Was it a bullet or a cartridge? A bullet is innocous and harmless; a loaded cartridge, on the other hand...

[+zygote2k]

I think the worst thing I ever found was bobfiremans name in a cache log. can I put firecrackers in a cache?

[+vree]

used deoderant? a cup/jockstrap? wha??

 

i found a FTF prize that was a nice multitool/knife. nice prize, but it seems pretty explicit in the rules that knives are inappropriate.

 

speaking of explicit, i found a sig card that has a naked betty boop picture on it next to the cacher's name. with all the details. not too happy about finding that.

[Prof. Y. Lupardi]

I got a log from my cache "Biertje?" telling me that a closed zip-bag full of wet rotting leaves was removed from the cache.

[+zygote2k]

Ironically, after reading this topic yesterday, I found a "fire starting kit" in a cache in an area that Smokey the Bear says "Fire Danger High". I found this item most appropriate to release my inner arsonist. As long as everyone uses common sense when they find "inappropriate items", then all will be fine. Remember, most of us are responsible adults.

[+LaPaglia]

Ironically, after reading this topic yesterday, I found a "fire starting kit" in a cache in an area that Smokey the Bear says "Fire Danger High". I found this item most appropriate to release my inner arsonist. As long as everyone uses common sense when they find "inappropriate items", then all will be fine. Remember, most of us are responsible adults.

Remember, most of us are responsible adults.

 

 

How do you figure that???????

[+zygote2k]

what? that we are responsible or we are adults?