Stunt Caching

[+art begotti]

okay, before you get any ideas, let me say, it's NOT fear factor type stunts. just take this sample scenario below, from my twisted mind. john is a geocacher, and alice is the waitress at alice's diner.

---------------

(john walks into alice's diner, and seats himself at a booth. he leaves his gps on the table. alice approaches to take his order.)

 

alice: hello. today's specials are the denver omelet and the french toast platter. would you like a menu?

 

john: no thanks, i'm ready to order.

 

alice: okay, what would you like?

 

john: i'll take two fried eggs with a side of hash browns.

 

alice: how would you like your toast?

 

john: white.

 

alice: username?

 

john: johndoe84.

 

alice: and would you like anything to drink with that?

 

john: uh, coffee, please.

 

alice: okay, your order will be ready shortly.

 

john: thank you.

 

(alice returns to the kitchen. john sits patiently, tapping a pencil he just took out. alice returns a couple minutes later, with a plate, a mug, and a small box.)

 

alice: two fried eggs, coffee, and eggman's cache.

 

john: thank you very much! (john then proceeds to eat his breakfast and sign the log sheet inside the box. he also takes out a couple trinkets to trade.)

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anyone see where i'm going with this? granted, the plot sucked, i know that much. but has anyone considered something like this? basically, the cacher has to do some sort of action that signals to a non-cacher (that still knows what's going on) that they are looking for a cache. after doing such a task (in this case, it was ordering eggs and hash with the gps on the table, and giving username), the cache is given to the cacher to sign logs, trade trinkets, etcetera.

 

for the most part, what i'm referring to is some sort of person-to-person interaction for the cacher. it might include some sort of awkward trade that you could perform for the cache. (for example, one of my former teacher's husband is a purple martin fanatic. if you bring him a small baggie with eggshells to feed the birds, he will give you the cache.)

 

so... anyone consider this sort of thing at all?

[TinAbbey]

I think it sounds cool. Its very movie-like. only thing is, I myself rather have an omelette. But its definately something to try, maybe starting out with a pretty simple scenario.

[Agent N.]

that would be the COOLIST! but I sure would not like to sit out all day waiteing for a geo to come by

[+Robespierre]

[+J-Man]

Funny you should mention it... I was trying to think of a way to do a multicache in which one of the stops was a diner/bar sorta place. In order to get the coords or directions to the cache (or next location) you had to order a nonexistent drink or dish (the name of which you got at the prior location) like a Flying Nun on the rocks or a fried yak sandwich. I thought this would work best at a bar where you could just go up to the counter and order it.

 

The tricky part is getting all the people who might tend the bar involved, to cover all the shifts. The best way I thought of to do this was to work it out with the owner or barkeeps that the cacher would actually have to buy it for, say, $1, thus the barkeep would get a tip for handing a piece of paper across the counter or for telling the cacher the next clue, or whatever.

 

I'm still working on it.

 

(This IS what you were talking about, right?)

[+IV_Warrior]

Not exactly what you had in mind, but someone had a similar idea

[+Team Perks]

There is a cache in one of the local restaurants here, where you have to go in and ask for them to bring it to you. People seem to have enjoyed it.

[BassoonPilot]

The scenario presented reads like it might qualify as a "commercial cache." Better run it past a reviewer before you go to any trouble setting it up. There are a host of other potential problems with 'human interaction' caches, as well.

[Dino Hunters]

I logged this one which is similar to what you describe....

 

GC7B09

[+Cow Spots]

Why is it when I read this potential story I want to pipe up with...

 

"I'd like an omelet, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce. And a cup of coffee.

 

Waitress : A #2, chicken salad sand. Hold the butter, the lettuce, the mayonnaise, and a cup of coffee. Anything else?

 

Bobby : Yeah, now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules. "

[+CompuCash]

Why is it when I read this potential story I want to pipe up with...

 

"I'd like an omelet, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce. And a cup of coffee.

 

Waitress : A #2, chicken salad sand. Hold the butter, the lettuce, the mayonnaise, and a cup of coffee. Anything else?

 

Bobby : Yeah, now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules. "

I don't know - why is that?

[+The Puzzler]

Here is an example along the lines of what you are suggesting. I like it, though I haven't done this cache yet.

 

Westward Ho

[+J-Man]

"I'd like an omelet, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce. And a cup of coffee.

 

Waitress : A #2, chicken salad sand. Hold the butter, the lettuce, the mayonnaise, and a cup of coffee. Anything else?

 

Bobby : Yeah, now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules. "

 

 

Waitress: That would be dry wheat toast. I told you, we don't serve plain toast.

[+hbrx]

interacting with other people?

No thanks.

Whats next? OrganizedGeocachingMeetings?

Hell no!

Caching is a solitaire affaire.

 

hbrx.

[+Runaround]

I don't have a problem with it as I long as I can go in, log the cache, and leave.

 

If I have to buy something, or feel obligated to make a purchase. then it's a commercial cache.

 

Take it to the extreme. McDonalds could offer a Geocaching Value Meal in every store. Order the meal, get handed the cache, a cheeseburger, small fry, soda, and a McToy with the GC.com logo.

[CacheNCarryMA]

There is a postage stamp museum in my area. At one time I thought about placing a multi-cache near and in the museum - first stage would be hidden outside, final stage would be a box behind the counter in the museum gift shop. Finders would be required to approach the cashier and say, "Excuse me do you sell stamps?"

[+J-Man]

If I have to buy something, or feel obligated to make a purchase. then it's a commercial cache.

 

You'd feel this way if you had to pony up a dollar? It's part of making the cache what it is! Do you feel the same way if you have to pay $8 for parking at a state park? I've done it many times, and if that's the price I pay to see the park, it's worth it. I didn't think anyone would object to a single dollar...

[+pdxmarathonman]

I won't mention the cache or which city I was in when I found it, but a multi-cache that at the first location had the question "Do you have a book for JohnDoe84?" and the coordinates for the place to go to ask the question was very cool! Didn't require any money to be spent. Also, the business owner is not a cacher or even friends with the cache owner. He just asked if they'd do it and they agreed.

Edited September 16, 2004 by pdxmarathonman

[+caderoux]

We have one in New Orleans - haven't done it yet, though.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...40-a9adb6a50ba8

[+Runaround]

If I have to buy something, or feel obligated to make a purchase. then it's a commercial cache.

 

You'd feel this way if you had to pony up a dollar? It's part of making the cache what it is! Do you feel the same way if you have to pay $8 for parking at a state park? I've done it many times, and if that's the price I pay to see the park, it's worth it. I didn't think anyone would object to a single dollar...

These are different issues. I know many states require entry fees to use the parks. Most states will sell an annual sticker for unlimited access. This is more of a "use tax" than a specific fee just to get the cache. I live in Ohio and the parks are part of the state budget so everyone contributes. There are no parking fees, just fees for campgrounds, boat launches, skiing, etc.

 

Based on the OP, I would have to buy breakfast to get the cache. If I have to make a purchase to get the cache it's not appropriate. It's not about the amount of money, it's the commercialization I don't like. For example, I don't like caches hidden in newspaper boxes. How do I know it's not the newspaper vendor just trying to get an extra $0.50 ($1.50 on Sundays) from his fellow geocachers?

[+JoesBar]

There is a cache near Columbus, OH that is similar to what you discribe. Day Trading Cache, GC3E6D

This cache.

Edited September 16, 2004 by Joesbar

[lowracer]

There was a cache submitted here in Austin that was very similar. It was turned down as being a commercial cache. It exists on the big N site as "Bottoms Up." You had to go into the bar and order a drink (could be water) in the Special Geocaching Mug. On the bottom of the mug (inside) were the coordinates to the next redirector. Caused quite a controversy when first proposed.

 

N00FBF - Bottoms Up by essiar

[OuttaHand]

Here in Wisconsin, we have this one called Covert Cache. It is located in a commercial establishment and requires that you ask the help of the bartender or waitress to retrieve it from its shelf.

Yes -- it is a commercial cache because it is in a commercial establishment. But its unique theme and placement is such that it was approved anyway. Also -- the seeker of the cache is made aware, in the cache description, that it may require a cover charge to get to it during such-n-such hours. So IF you try this, you'd be best off to be very up-front about costs, the fact the seeker will need to enter a commercial establishment, etc. etc.

[+Runaround]

Here in Wisconsin, we have this one called Covert Cache. It is located in a commercial establishment and requires that you ask the help of the bartender or waitress to retrieve it from its shelf.

Yes -- it is a commercial cache because it is in a commercial establishment. But its unique theme and placement is such that it was approved anyway. Also -- the seeker of the cache is made aware, in the cache description, that it may require a cover charge to get to it during such-n-such hours. So IF you try this, you'd be best off to be very up-front about costs, the fact the seeker will need to enter a commercial establishment, etc. etc.

I believe that cache was grandfathered when the prohibition on commercial caches went into effect. It was legal at the time of its approval.

[+art begotti]

okay, gotta know what that's about...

 

anyway, thanks for all the input, y'ns... i'll consider this stuff for the future.

[+Du's Crew]

There's a cache in Texas that involves this as well as all kinds of stunts and locations. It's called "Quantum Leap". It sounds like it has alot of 'The-Red-Dog-Barks-at-Night' sort of stuff. Reading some of the logs, this guy has really put together an incredible cache. We will be starting it pretty soon.

[+fly46]

There's one out here that doesn't involve actual contact with people, but the cache owner has set it up so that you find the first set of cords, then you go to the second set of cords, and in order to log your cache, you have to dance like a chicken in full view of not only the entire side of the hospital, but their security cameras as well, and then when you log it on the site you include your time so they can check and make sure you've done it.

 

Thankfully, I didn't go at that one alone and I ended up doing it with about a dozen people and a dog.