Rate This Cache Idea: Cool Or Lame?

[+Sparrowhawk]

The other day, I was hanging out somewhere, thinking about geocaching, when I spotted a very nice leafy, bushy plant near the inside corner of a brick wall. I thought rather absent-mindedly: THAT could be a good place to hide a geocache...

 

Then I remembered where I was... a small one-owner coffee shop.

The leafy bush is an artificial plant in one corner of this brick-walled place of business.

 

Then I thought: "Hey why not??"

 

As long as I don't mention the business itself on the cache page, we would have a lot of puzzled cachers wandering around outside the place, looking for this mysterious plant, until the smiling counter folks can call out the door: "It's in HERE, geocacher!"

 

I talked to the owner. He was quite amused by the whole thing. I told him that I could NOT do more than post that the cache is at a place of business with full permission... I could not do any real advertising for him. He said: "That's fine!"

 

They have some pretty long hours... so it COULD actually work. And I would pay for a free large yummy latte for first finder.

 

I just wanna know: cool or lame? And would Groundspeak allow such a cache?

 

Incidentally, this cache idea is inspired by a cache in Reseda, CA that is actually named after the mexican restaurant it is placed outside of (errrr... isn't that advertising?) I would not even name the cache after this coffee place, just a fun joke cache name.

Edited November 29, 2004 by Sparrowhawk

[+Doc-Dean]

Make sure you post their hours of operation so that some cacher doesn't show up just to find the joint closed.

 

Other caches around here similar to this were archived b/c someone complained it was too commercial.

[+Square Bear]

There has been a rather heated discussion on this all ready.

Commercial or not

[+GeoBrowns]

You mean like this one? Hint is actual name of coffee place. It's a Travel Bug depot and it's nice to have the safe haven for them here.

[+clearpath]

My first thought was that the cache might be in a spot that would make it difficult to be discreet. But then again, it might be a common sight to see someone feeling out a plastic bush.

[+Sparrowhawk]

You mean like this one? Hint is actual name of coffee place. It's a Travel Bug depot and it's nice to have the safe haven for them here.

Aw... SHEESH. If THAT one got approved, then no problem on my proposed one!

 

THIS should be fun.

[+The Puzzler]

The cache you describe is certainly at or in a location of business that either sells product or services. Therefore, as I interpret it, it is outside the bounds of what Groundspeak states as acceptable, regardless of a few that surely have gotten past the Groundspeak filter system.

 

Personally, I think it is sad that caches (some potentially very good ones) outside of Groundspeak's range of acceptable locations do not have a good place to be posted. But then, maybe that is where these other web sites come into play. If it is a way cool place and yet still not acceptable to Groundspeak, maybe the cache should be hidden anyway and posted on another site.

 

Variety is the spice of life, afterall.

 

Personally, I would love to see a well maintained web site (with cache reviews required) that had only one restriction . . . is the hide legal.

 

Can you tell that I am an anarchist at heart.

[+Ed & Julie]

Caches in business are not terrible uncommon.

 

I have found half a dozen or so.

 

Just please make it clear on the cache page AND to the coffeshop owner that a purchase is NOT required.

 

You should not have to buy (or feel obligated to) a latte to log the cache.

 

Ed

[+Doc-Dean]

My first thought was that the cache might be in a spot that would make it difficult to be discreet. But then again, it might be a common sight to see someone feeling out a plastic bush.

Only on Wednesdays with a full moon, of course!

[+Sparrowhawk]

Just please make it clear on the cache page AND to the coffeshop owner that a purchase is NOT required.

 

You should not have to buy (or feel obligated to) a latte to log the cache.

Roger that. I'll make sure the cafe owner does not require a purchase.

[+Doc-Dean]

Just please make it clear on the cache page AND to the coffeshop owner that a purchase is NOT required.

 

You should not have to buy (or feel obligated to) a latte to log the cache.

Roger that. I'll make sure the cafe owner does not require a purchase.

Doughnuts are another matter entirely however!!

Edited November 29, 2004 by Doc-Dean

[+Sparrowhawk]

I CAN convince this owner to give out a free chocolate-covered expresso bean to each geocacher who visits... what do you think of that?

Edited November 29, 2004 by Sparrowhawk

[+Doc-Dean]

I CAN convince this owner to give out a free chocolate-covered expresso bean to each geocacher who visits... what do you think of that?

I'm allergic to chocolate!!!! What are you trying to do - kill me!!

 

Just kidding...

[+Sparrowhawk]

I CAN convince this owner to give out a free chocolate-covered expresso bean to each geocacher who visits... what do you think of that? 

I'm allergic to chocolate!!!! What are you trying to do - kill me!!

 

Just kidding...

They sell gourmet jelly beans, too.

[+Criminal]

Does the coffee shop owner know the difference between a latte and a cappuccino? This is important, as there are a large number of baristas who do not. I’m really getting tired of asking for a cappuccino and getting big cup of hot milk. If they can make a good Italian style cappuccino, I’d say go for it.

[+Sparrowhawk]

Does the coffee shop owner know the difference between a latte and a cappuccino? This is important, as there are a large number of baristas who do not. I’m really getting tired of asking for a cappuccino and getting big cup of hot milk. If they can make a good Italian style cappuccino, I’d say go for it.

I don't know (I don't drink cuppucino) but they DO have a bumper sticker on the wall that says "Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks."

[bug and snake]

Does the coffee shop owner know the difference between a latte and a cappuccino? This is important, as there are a large number of baristas who do not. I’m really getting tired of asking for a cappuccino and getting big cup of hot milk. If they can make a good Italian style cappuccino, I’d say go for it.

Oh so very, very true.....

But do you think they don't know the difference or are they just being forced to go with the flow?

Either way, a REAL cappuccino is hard to get.

[+Team Perks]

I'm not so sure I'd be cool with digging around inside a business, even if the owners knew about it. If it were right outside, different story. Then I could go find it when there wouldn't be a dozen patrons staring at me.

 

But that's just me.

[+Jared_and_Tanis]

How busy of an area is this? In a small, out-of-the-way coffee shop, with, say, a lot of regulars, then I think it would be amusing for both them (knowing what a cacher is doing) to search for the cache. As a cacher, yeah, I would probably be a little cautious, and try to be sly in looking for it inside up until I was "found out" by the owner, in which case it would just be funny. Go for it, I think it's a great idea.

 

~Jared

[+WalruZ]

You mean like this one? Hint is actual name of coffee place. It's a Travel Bug depot and it's nice to have the safe haven for them here.

It's a fairly big metal box under a couch. There's also a TB hotel in a pizza joint near me, and an ammo can at Buck's.

 

They're good caches. I've seen waaay worse.

[kb7rzf]

Got a cache here in Nevada similar to this. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...b9-0fa3b205a02b

 

Or Waypoint GCJKGC

 

Check it out. :-)

[+Sparrowhawk]

For the record, the cache idea was disallowed due to the "commercial cache" guideline.

 

I'll just put in an obligatory 'gee, these others were allowed!' rant...

 

"WAAAH!!! Whyyyyy not? These others are allowed! WHINE! RANT-RANT!" etc.

(There ya go.)

 

...and just drop the subject from here. I don't want to be accused of any REAL whining... that would be annoying.

Edited December 21, 2004 by Sparrowhawk

[4x4van]

Too bad. I don't see what the problem is as long as a purchase isn't required. How is it any different than a cache inside a park that charges for parking? Or anywhere in the Forests of California where you need a $5 Wilderness permit to park and hike? The only restriction on your cache is the business hours, which is the same as many caches in parks, libraries, etc. Heck, with your idea, at least cachers have a choice as to whether or not they want to pay/purchase anything.

 

(although, having not actually seen your submitted cache idea, I'm making the above statements based entirely on your description of the cache idea here in the forums)

Edited December 22, 2004 by 4x4van

[Hogarth]

where have I seen a similar idea??

 

Oh yeah... Here.. and your idea really is not a lame idea..

Edited December 23, 2004 by Hogarth

[constantine]

good idea just make sure that the owner isnt telling geocachers where the cache is...

[+orome]

Too bad about the no-commerical-businesses thing. I thought it'd be cool to have a cache pointing to, say, a bookstore, where the proprietor and employees were all in on the secret. You'd approach the cashier with some spy-like phrase like "the lion sleeps in November" and they'd hand you the cache.

[dantonac]

I doubt I would do such a cache although clearly many would. I guess I am just a shy person and I do caching because I like the outdoors.

 

I also like to use my GPS with WAAS lock to pinpoint the cache location pretty well before I go searching around. If the location got me no further than the front door of a business I would not be at all comfortable rummaging around inside a business looking for a cache, owner's permission or not.

 

So, I am sorry it got denied because it seems there are those that would enjoy it, but I wouldn't be one of those people.

 

There are other sites that would allow you to list it though. Not as much traffic as GC.com, but still doable. Something I have seen others do is place a cache listed on GC.com and link to their homepage on the cache page. From the homepage they list their other caches that aren't listed on GC.com. I could be wrong, but I don't think this is outside the GC.com rules.