Is It Ok To Place A Lame Cache If You Warn People?

January 7, 2005

People bitch from time to time about lame caches.

It got me thinking, if someone placed their lame cache with plastic lizards in it or something and described it as a lame cache, is it still frowned-upon?

I figure the people whose standards are too high will avoid them after reading the description, right?

Noobs will still like to find them, just to get the hang of geocaching without having to miss super-camoflaged logs and such...

2.7k · January 7, 2005

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just be honest with the size description and it's general placement. You cannot please all the people all the time - so don't try. Just try to make a hide that has a quality container and is something you actually like.

If you place it, they will come.

2.5k · January 7, 2005

I guess I don't understand why you're asking.

Don't intentionally go out and put a cracked container in a puddle or hide seventy two micros in guardrails next to trash heaps.

Otherwise, have fun and play the game a way that you enjoy it.

January 7, 2005

My personal opinion is, no matter what kind of cache you put out, there is going to be someone who gripes about it.

I counteract this phenomenon by doing as you stated; label your cache as clearly as possible in your description. A couple of my micro caches have the word "micro" right in the name. I describe the cache container, I say if its a Park & Grab, an agressive hike, or requires stealth to retrieve. A couple I tell exactlyy where to park, and what path to use to get to cache area.

Irregardless of these measures, I still read logs from cachers saying, "just downloaded the co-ords. Took hard way in through someones yard. Shoulda read the description."

Great part is, they can only blame themselves. You want to place a cache ? Go for it. describe it right - someone will appreciate your cache.

5.3k · January 7, 2005

Sure, I did one just a couple of weeks ago, but I did describe it as a

Just a Stupid little Micro

In a stupid little place

January 7, 2005

You want to place a cache ? Go for it. describe it right - someone will appreciate your cache.

Thanks Captain.

To the other poster (forgot your name, I'm locked in the reply screen now...) I'm asking because I can't really afford the $$ to plant one that will impress everyone right off the bat.

38.2k · January 7, 2005

Sure, some people like them.

Edited January 7, 2005 by briansnat

4.2k · January 7, 2005

OK I'll take a little flak on this one I'm sure.

WHY DO IT?

If you want to place an easy cahce for newbies, place something of quality (contents, hide, container, view, etc.). Most newbies will mimick thier first experince (true not just here) anad is that really want you want them replicating?

True, you can't please everybody but why intentionally put something "lame" out there for other to find/mimick.

Yes, some can't resist the urge to find ALL caches near them and will complain.

Yes, some will ignore it.

The over-arching idea that I see is that you're promoting/condoning "lame" caches as the norm and more will follow.

2.7k · January 7, 2005

It's all about what aspect of teh cache you are calling lame. For me, and bad container would be a lame cache. A good container in a lamp post doesn't really strike me as lame, so long as it is labeled accordingly.

9.4k · January 7, 2005

This one was a hit

January 7, 2005

Sure, some people like them.

Lame Roadside Cache #86: Clinton Road-Hidden Falls. geez Brian, shoulda kept the park and dump.

thats a pretty impressive "lame" cache.

2.5k · January 7, 2005

You want to place a cache ? Go for it. describe it right - someone will appreciate your cache.

Thanks Captain.

To the other poster (forgot your name, I'm locked in the reply screen now...) I'm asking because I can't really afford the $$ to plant one that will impress everyone right off the bat.

You don't need to spend $$$ to impress. Check out some of the logs for GCK04M. I think I spent all of $2.50 for the contents and another $2 for the container. The container is pretty full, and I've never heard a bad word about the cache.

Make some effort and utilize what you have available to you. You don't have to go putting out $50 gift cards for FTF prizes to have a nice cache.

6.4k · January 7, 2005

I guess I don't understand why you're asking.
Don't intentionally go out and put a cracked container in a puddle or hide seventy two micros in guardrails next to trash heaps.

Otherwise, have fun and play the game a way that you enjoy it.

What Fly said.

If you think it's lame, why do you want to hide it? Have some sort of REASON for hiding your cache, not just for the sake of hiding one. Example, light post micro in the parking lot of the walmart that stands on the place your great grandpa's farm was 75yrs ago is cool, if you fill me in on the history. Placing it in the same spot because that's where you happen to shop is probably lame. Hiding a decent quality cache in a cool little park is great. Hiding a sandwich container with a note on the cache page "the lid cracked as I was placing the cache, could the first finder bring some tape? Oh, and a logbook." tossed under a bush is lame.

My current criteria for placing a cache was passed on to me by another cacher (I forget who): If a TV crew wanted to do a story about how great geocaching is, would you bring them to this cache? I'm not sure all our hides meet that standard, but at least they all have a reason for being there.

January 7, 2005

You see? I've learned something else today. A good hide in a good container can go a long way.

Every time I ask what I'm afraid may be a dumb question, I get quality responses, proving it wasn't necessarily a dumb question. (well, not for everyone at least)

January 7, 2005

Example, light post micro in the parking lot of the walmart that stands on the place your great grandpa's farm was 75yrs ago is cool, if you fill me in on the history.

My current criteria for placing a cache was passed on to me by another cacher (I forget who): If a TV crew wanted to do a story about how great geocaching is, would you bring them to this cache?

Good stuff for us noobs. Thanks!

1.3k · January 7, 2005

OK I'll take a little flak on this one I'm sure.

WHY DO IT?

If you want to place an easy cahce for newbies, place something of quality (contents, hide, container, view, etc.). Most newbies will mimick thier first experince (true not just here) anad is that really want you want them replicating?

True, you can't please everybody but why intentionally put something "lame" out there for other to find/mimick.

Yes, some can't resist the urge to find ALL caches near them and will complain.

Yes, some will ignore it.

The over-arching idea that I see is that you're promoting/condoning "lame" caches as the norm and more will follow.

I agree totally.

sd

9.4k · January 7, 2005

Good stuff for us noobs. Thanks!

I'd say that just by posting this topic you are going the right way to hiding a great first cache.

3.1k · January 7, 2005

World's Worst Cache

1k · January 7, 2005

OK I'll take a little flak on this one I'm sure.

WHY DO IT?

If you want to place an easy cahce for newbies, place something of quality (contents, hide, container, view, etc.). Most newbies will mimick thier first experince (true not just here) anad is that really want you want them replicating?

True, you can't please everybody but why intentionally put something "lame" out there for other to find/mimick.

Yes, some can't resist the urge to find ALL caches near them and will complain.

Yes, some will ignore it.

The over-arching idea that I see is that you're promoting/condoning "lame" caches as the norm and more will follow.

I agree totally.

sd

I also agree, and will raise the other issue that is often used to discourage lame caches - because of the limitation (minimum 528 feet) on the proximity of caches to each other, a lame cache can end up excluding a good cache. Another reason to avoid a tupperware container thrown under a bush, when there's a great view 500 feet down the road!

I also want to second (third?) what others have said about not having to spend a lot of money to create a good cache. Provide a decent container (which means "one that doesn't easily break or leak and ruin the contents"), hide it reasonably well, and take people to an interesting place (because of the view, the history or the story behind it) and no one will consider it lame, regardless of how little you spend on it.

January 8, 2005

This cache has been a lot of fun & was very inexpensive to put out.

24.7k · January 8, 2005

If you place a lame cache and people call it a lame cache, that's a compliment. Better still is if a lame cache hater hunts it and you have to pull out the violins.

Yes it's ok. Some guys would rather hunt a walmart micro than help their wife shop for tampons.

January 8, 2005

I hid my latest cache The World's Lamest Micro on November 17 and still nobody has found it. So I guess that nobody around here likes lame micros Just kidding.

Actually the cache is a multi stage that ends up taking you to a really neat location so the efort is worth it. The final stage is at a place where there is a small wooded area and not many places to hide a larger container. I named is as so just because I like the word "lame" and the micro seems to be controversial to boot.

I do plan on replacing the final micro stage with a REGULAR cache once the snow is gone and the mosquitos are back assuming I can find a good hiding location.

If you are honest and say your cache is lame people will still look for it. I say go for it!

2.2k · January 8, 2005

For me, the lameness of the cache is determined by the location more than anything else. When I think back on my favorite caches, I'd be hard pressed to tell you what the contaiiner was or what was in it, but I could describe the location in great detail.

3.3k · January 8, 2005

You want to place a cache ? Go for it. describe it right - someone will appreciate your cache.

Thanks Captain.

To the other poster (forgot your name, I'm locked in the reply screen now...) I'm asking because I can't really afford the $$ to plant one that will impress everyone right off the bat.

When I first bought my GPS, it broke the bank for me. I saw all the nice caches with cool trade items, but couldn't afford to replicate them. My first 6 or 7 caches were log only micros. The key that made these caches fun for those who found them were the area and the hiding techniques.

None were hid near trash dumps, or on guardrails. None were hidden in close proximity to houses, or prying eyes. None were in unsafe areas. As I have time (and money), I'm replacing the micros with small containers with a few trade items.

For kids, I place "kids toys" marbles, rubber balls, rubber snakes or anything else that kids might like. I saved nicer items for my harder to get caches (mainly my puzzle caches). To date, only one person griped about one cache because it was a micro in a nice park.

I say hide it, and they will come. If someone is upset that the trade items are not good enough, just know that they are being selfish. It's not my job as a cache placer to spend $50.00 per cache for people to get nice trade items. It's my job to make the geocaching experience fun by placing good caches in nice areas.

Don't let the inabilty to supply nice items in your cache prevent you from hiding one. Be sure to write on the cache page that the trade items are oriented towards kids.

Bill,

Edited January 8, 2005 by Kit Fox

4.7k · January 8, 2005

yup. go right ahead. label it correctly. if i'm in your area beating my head up against some of the "quality" caches, i'll be thankful for a little something i can drive up to and find. then, spirits refreshed, i'll resume my hunting.

1.8k · January 9, 2005

This cache in Arizona has the best write-up for a lame cache I've ever seen. Read the logs too.

Call me crazy, I actually look forward to finding this cache and seeing how awful it really is...

January 9, 2005

There are no lame caches, only lame people!...... :rolleyes: I'm sure if you spent 10 mins thinking of a place for the cache it won't be lame and your question will be moot. We all look at a cache differently, so every cache has it's merits no matter how lame.

1.4k · January 9, 2005

There are no lame caches, only lame people!...... I'm sure if you spent 10 mins thinking of a place for the cache it won't be lame and your question will be moot. We all look at a cache differently, so every cache has it's merits no matter how lame.

Oh ya, those film cans with moldy logs are real winners.

2.2k · January 9, 2005

One person's trash is another one's treasure.

January 9, 2005

Oh ya, those film cans with moldy logs are real winners.

They may be to you, but if I'm waiting for a wife or gf to finish shopping and I'm sitting there in the Target parking lot that 5 mins I spent looking for a 35 mm film container might be the high light of my afternoon. Or I'm new to geocaching and I don't care what kind of hide it is. I'm new enough to geocaching to still appreciate the lame hides as much as the difficult ones. I'd much prefer to be out climbing a mountain peak in search of a cache, but we all can't do what we want 24/7, so the lame ones have just as much a place IMO. If people find them and log then are they worthless?.....I think not.

38.2k · January 9, 2005

To the other poster (forgot your name, I'm locked in the reply screen now...) I'm asking because I can't really afford the $$ to plant one that will impress everyone right off the bat.

Its not the quality of the contents that impresses people, its the quality of the hunt. Bring them to some unique and interesting place and they will be impressed. Bring them to the Walmart parking lot they won't be.

Create a uniquely camoflaged container, or make it a very clever urban hide they will be impressed. Put a cache in another fake sprinkler head, or toss a film canister in a rock field or field of English ivy they won't be.

You also don't need to break the bank to stock a cache.

Some things I picked up recently to place in caches:

10 pack of Hefty Handy Sacks - 87 cents at Walmart

Bag of plastic toy soldiers - 50 cents at local 5 and dime store

Hot Wheels cars - 50 cents each at local grocery store

Emergency poncho - 87 cents at Walmart

Bag of 12 minature decks of playing cards - $3.99 at a party goods store (break up the bag and put one or two in each cache)

Box of 24 individually wrapped Wet Ones wipes - $2.49 in grocery store (same as cards)

Individually wrapped Armor All and Rain-X wipes - 89 cents each at auto parts store

P-37 can openers - 2 for $1.09 at camping supply store

Carabiners - 50 cents each at Staples

Small Lock 'n Lock containers - 50 cents each at grocery store

Toy "stick em" ball - 88 cents for two at Walmart

pin on ball compass - $.197 at Walmart

Just keep your eyes open and use your imagination. You can walk into a Wallmart and come out with enough stuff to stock 3 caches and have change back from your $20 bill.

One person's trash is another one's treasure.

Great, then you can stop by my caches and clean out the expired Sanka coupons, partially chewed toy soldiers, unidentifiable plastic objects, gum wrappers, metro cards with no rides left, empty Bic lighters, rusty key rings from Manny's Car Wash and similar things people leave?

Edited January 9, 2005 by briansnat

January 9, 2005

People bitch from time to time about lame caches.

It got me thinking, if someone placed their lame cache with plastic lizards in it or something and described it as a lame cache, is it still frowned-upon?

As others have stated, it's not necessarily the contents (or lack thereof) of a cache that determines its "lameness."

One person's trash is another one's treasure.

Great, then you can stop by my caches and clean out the expired Sanka coupons, partially chewed toy soldiers, unidentifiable plastic objects, gum wrappers, metro cards with no rides left, empty Bic lighters, rusty key rings from Manny's Car Wash and similar things people leave?

And deny you the satisfaction and enjoyment derived from having duly fulfilled your responsibility as a cache owner?

1.4k · January 9, 2005

Oh ya, those film cans with moldy logs are real winners.

They may be to you, but if I'm waiting for a wife or gf to finish shopping and I'm sitting there in the Target parking lot that 5 mins I spent looking for a 35 mm film container might be the high light of my afternoon. Or I'm new to geocaching and I don't care what kind of hide it is. I'm new enough to geocaching to still appreciate the lame hides as much as the difficult ones. I'd much prefer to be out climbing a mountain peak in search of a cache, but we all can't do what we want 24/7, so the lame ones have just as much a place IMO. If people find them and log then are they worthless?.....I think not.

True, but from what it started as, it's really sad for some people to view geocaching as something of a convience sport. I don't know why people feel that they SHOULD be able to do a sport that in it's purest form envolves an out of the way or one of a kind place with an actual CACHE and an expeience while zipping from one place to another or if they have a couple of minutes. Is it really right that the quality of caches go in the dumps so that people can get one while their wife is shopping or between meetings? Sure it can work out that way, but I don't think that should be the basis of placing a cache. Well and let's all start getting real, a film can isn't a cache of anything.

I think one of the best points raised is if a TV station was doing a story on cache or if a newbie wanted to see what it was all about would you take them to that cache? If the answer is no and it's there so people can get a quickie then I have to say you're not really adding to the sport, you're making it convenient.

Edited January 9, 2005 by Nurse Dave

1.6k · January 9, 2005

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just be honest with the size description and it's general placement. You cannot please all the people all the time - so don't try. Just try to make a hide that has a quality container and is something you actually like.

If you place it, they will come.

Couldn't have said it better.

No one cares if you intentionally set up a lame cache. People might try to find it for a laugh.

Lame caches are a problem when you don't know that you are heading for one and 2 miles of hiking later, you find that lame one. Then, you mind.

January 9, 2005

just one question: where did you get the plastic lizards?

3.3k · January 10, 2005

just one question: where did you get the plastic lizards?

Big retail stores carry plastics animals in the toy section. You can usually get 10 plus animals for a dollar.

Is It Ok To Place A Lame Cache If You Warn People?

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