Preparing To Leave Item In Cache

[+amytincan]

I have some items I want to leave in caches. Should they be bagged and should I leave my name on the item? Are ceramic figurines OK? I've got some cool things to leave behind (in my opinion)

 

Should I be prepared with different size items?

[+briansnat]

It is a good idea to bag items that might be ruined if they get wet. Caches often have bags inside for this purpose, but they eventually wind up full of holes. A ceramic figuring would be a fine trade item and yes, its probably a good idea to bring a variety of sizes along. Some containers may be small, or packed full and others may have plenty of room. You might also want to bring along one or two nicer items in case you find something decent you want to trade for.

 

No need to leave your name on the item.

Edited October 19, 2004 by briansnat

[+Team Perks]

The only thing I would caution you with regard to leaving ceramic figurines is that caches have a tendency to get tossed around, dropped, etc. I personally wouldn't want to leave anything breakable in a cache that's likely to get bumped around a lot without securely wrapping it to keep it in one piece. That said, cool little figurines are a world above the standard McToy junk I see. Go for it!

[+G'n,G]

Just put it in lots of bubble wrap and you'll be fine.

[Prairie Jeepin]

Yeah I agree, make sure figurines are wrapped good with something (tissue or bubble wrap) and perhaps even placed in a snug hard container to help with the protection. As long as it all fits w/in the cache there should be no problem.

 

I too think that nicely done figurines would be very much a quaint item to bring home as a memory.

 

PJ

[+amytincan]

PrairieJeepin--thanks!

 

I have a jeep too! (Willys CJ-2A) Most likely I will be cruisin the local caches in my Suburban, though

[+Torry]

Ceramics, plastic and resin products work well since they don't rot or rust. Baggies may not be necessary for everything.

 

If you want, put your geo-caching name on the bottom of the item. Could be an interesting signature item idea.

[Predator04]

I just started this Geocaching thing last week. I left a Hotwheels car in the first one I found. I'd sure like to find one of those Jeep travel bugs!!

[+K0BKL]

I have had to remove items from my caches when they became too damp.

Mine are rural caches with few visitors. I have replaced some items after they

dried out at home. I still have some items at home that I can place, when

there is room for them, but leaving items for a year in a cache to get moldy

is ridiculous.

[+amytincan]

what kind of things?

[+AuntieWeasel]

what kind of things?

Cloth patches, paper stuff. It's a shame, because I really like some of the (dry) examples of both those things I've found. Only some caches get moldy, though, and I've never really understood which and why. Whew! Nothing worse than a nasty, stinky, moldy cache. It's like it gets on your hands and won't come off.

 

If you're talking about something like those little Wade figurines from Red Rose tea, I wouldn't worry about bagging them or wrapping them. They survive very nicely. I got started collecting those because I found one in a cache, and I've found several since.

 

However, if you're really pleased with the item and have a bunch of them, you might want to bag them and put your name in the bag. Then it becomes your signature item.

 

Lots of people seem to feel compelled to leave their names with items, even if they aren't signature items. Frankly, I think that's pretty cool. It's like nice graffiti or something.

[+amytincan]

I like my items, I have some small ceramic figurines (skunk family, monkey family), and I have Pelican salt shaker missing its mate, and some cows, and teeny glass dishes, a teeny ceramic tea set, that type of thing...I didn't know what to do with them here at home so maybe in a cache would be fun.

 

Only problem is I don't know where to find new ones...maybe I should start looking at ebay or estate sales. They're not worth anything, but not readily available.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Home-made items and non-plastic mass-merchandised items are far better than McToys. Leave as many as you want. They'll probably be the next item traded out of the cache.

[+AuntieWeasel]

...I didn't know what to do with them here at home so maybe in a cache would be fun. 

Those do sound especially fun. Perhaps even fun enough to save and put together in a cache hide. Like, say, Amy's Sack of Knick-Knacks or something