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Cache Goody Depletion


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I know I opposed to this Dustbin Tat thread the other week Link, But having gone back to one of our caches the other day to retrieve a camara, I noticed a distinct lack of goodies.

 

I know we`d put some newish stuff, like coasters, etc etc (from the local £1 shop agreed). Looking inside, what a sorry pile of tat had been replaced in it. Come on people trade fair, notice a few people had also took something and placed a travel bug... hence the depletion even more noticable. An old gear stick knob was one of the items that made me think, why did this person leave that, what were they thinking?!?

 

Really made me a little dishearted, we put so much effort into stocking a cache with stuff that people would like, only for it to be replaced with `as the link in the other thread spoke about` you`d find better stuff in the bottom of our bin, (although you may have to rummage around in the cat litter).

 

Having made up another cache, to be placed soon. Just made me think, why are we bothering actually caring about what we put in it, in a month it will just turn into something you`d find at the bottom of your sideboard draw. We may as well just place micros, at least they don`t cost much to create.

 

I`d say 99% of the time we just TNLNSL, but when we do swop we tend to swop something of higher or similar value.

 

Pengy :)

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Yep. Where's the older thread on good sources of swaps for caches.

We keep a sharp eye out for end of line clearance's in the supermarket you can pick up bags of brand new toys for the swap's bag's from these (beats Mc donalds toys) we also carry a selection of higher value swaps for those really good items.

We also try to add to the cache having said that i often see our ggod stuff swapped for real cr*p. We have left these really good multi tool keyrings in some caches to only see them swapped out for a box of crayons :)

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One thing I noticed caching in the US was the superior standard of cache goodies compared to over here. (The other thing I noticed was that they are absolutely appalling at tracking travel bugs with it being the rule rather than the exception that the listed travel bug is not in the cache.)

 

P&T's comment about people swapping TB's for goodies also intrigued me as it harked back to an earlier thread. I've done this myself, as generally I would consider a TB of higher value (interest) than the goody. But it does rely on people not just taking TB's! Made me look at the geocaching rules:

 

"... the rules are very simple:

 

1. Take something from the cache

 

2. Leave something in the cache

 

3. Write about it in the logbook"

 

Don't think TB's are excluded!

 

P

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as generally I would consider a TB of higher value (interest) than the goody. But it does rely on people not just taking TB's! Made me look at the geocaching rules:

"... the rules are very simple:

1. Take something from the cache

2. Leave something in the cache

3. Write about it in the logbook"

Don't think TB's are excluded!

That works until you need to drop off the travel bug, and can`t find anything in the cache that has a "high value". What would you do, hold onto the travel bug until you found a cache with something of high value, or drop off the Bug so it can go on it`s merry way.

 

Also if a Travel Bug has been in a cache for months, would you move it on, or just leave it. Because you forgot to bring your swap bag with you? The other day we dropped off 2 travel bugs in a TB hotel that didn`t have any travel bugs in it, what would you have us do, take something from that cache of value of them, of just drop them off.

 

TB`s to us are in a class of their own, but until things are clarified about them, I suppose we`ll see cache contents deminish. At the end of the day it all relies on trust, and fair play.

 

Pengy

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But having gone back to one of our caches the other day to retrieve a camara, I noticed a distinct lack of goodies.

Probably 95% of all caches I have ever found have been full of tat (I am serious - what I would consider tat anyway). As long as it has a log book and the occasional TB, that's fine with me. I rarely look through the rest of the contents.

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Don't think TB's are excluded!

 

Sorry I don't agree and, as you said, this has recently been debated here - TBs as Swaps. I thought the consensus was that TB's and swaps are different things.

I agree with Mr Stead on this. I don't consider travel bugs to be 'trade items'. I don't usually trade these days but I will take a travel bug if I find one and probably not leave anything in exchange. By the same token, I'll leave the bug in another cache and not take anything in exchange.

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It took me a while to sus it out (dur!!) but I can now see why people list the original cache contents when they put up the cache page. This must be so when subsequent visitors find the cache and discover a dirty used golf ball and a hairy used hair band and an expired voucher then they will know that it was not the cache setter, but the visitors what done it!!

 

I still contend that cheap tat has it's place, as it is generally kids that seem to want to trade and get enthusiastic for getting stuff from caches. I just object to broken, dirty worthless tat! Then again, I don't worry about it, I just TNLN.

 

Have just recently been heartened to see some logs which said "saw stuff we fancied but didn't have anything of equivalent value to leave, so TNLN". There are some honest folk out there!

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Maybe somewhat insensitive of me, but this talk of 'value' of trade objects seems all rather materialistic. Surely the idea of the game is to find the box/film canister/whatever, with the trade, if any, being a 'bonus' of some kind.

 

I've become a TNLN kind of guy, mainly because the vast majority of stuff we find is not useful to me in any way, and picking something up only to place it in the next cache I find just seems kinda pointless. That being said, I have been known to go back to poorly stocked caches and drop in a few nice bits and pieces to try to help lift the quality back up...

 

All this aside, we bought back a few small NZ flags and other Kiwi bits and pieces with us from our trip home, and I can't wait to drop these off...

 

It comes down to honesty really. Most of us are honest and will trade accordingly, but there's always the few who ruin it for the many.

 

Happy Caching - look out for those Kiwi flags!!

 

Aidan

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Maybe somewhat insensitive of me, but this talk of 'value' of trade objects seems all rather materialistic.

It's not really materialistic, just depressing when you take the time and effort to put out an ammo box stocked full of good stuff, and 6 months down the line it just has a couple of old bits of c**p rattling around in the bottom of it.

 

t

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I would certainly move on a TB that I could help on its mission or one that had been neglected a while even if I didn't have a swap, just as I would drop off a TB even if I didn't see anything I wanted (which is normally the case). I personally don't understand why TB's should be treated any differently to other trade items because if they are treated the same we won't get depleted caches! I know others think differently and I guess as this has been debated before I'll shut up!

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I have just done a bit of CITO in my cache supply box, and as I am in the process of setting up a 10L box cache, I have been sorting out some resonable things. I have got some unwanted videos and dvds, which I think make good items as well as those free gifts from mail order companies. Or how about all that horrible aftershave etc the inlaws past on at Christmas. It will be interesting to see what is in this cache after a few visits.

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Or how about swap the misses!

I hope she doesn't read the forums :rolleyes:

 

Anyone who wants to drop off a royal marine in a cache for me, i'd be very grateful :(

I've got a lovely Royal Marine - but have you got something of equal value for me??! :(

Hmmmm, define equal value and we might have a deal :grin:

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Did our first cache the other day....................myg/f now wants to leave an unchecked lottery ticket :rolleyes:

That's been done before. Could you really put one in without noting the numbers so you weren't tempted to rush back once you realised it was a winner?

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Or how about swap the misses!

I hope she doesn't read the forums :(

 

Anyone who wants to drop off a royal marine in a cache for me, i'd be very grateful :(

I've got a lovely Royal Marine - but have you got something of equal value for me??! :grin:

Hmmmm, define equal value and we might have a deal :D

lets see now 1 Royal Marine = 4 Paras, 6 Matelots or 8 normal squaddies (if there are any normal ones out there :D ) - yep, think I could just about handle that - although I would need a bigger cache :rolleyes:

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