Microcaches

July 27, 2003

I have attempted several micros recently with my wife and we have found that 3 out of 5 were located where a full sized cache would have been just fine. In fact, these three could not be found after at least 1hr of searching by the two of us. Now, I congratulation the hiders (if the caches are indeed intact) but a micro in dense tree/ground cover is extremely hard to find and even a regular would be a challenge. My wife and I agree that after searching the area well and finding dozens of possible hiding places that are empty maybe a regular cache would be more apporopriate for these locations.

What is everyone's thought on this? What are your experiences with micros: good/bad/appropriate?

Team P2

Variety is the spice of life...and I like it HOT!

July 27, 2003

I like micros in urban settings. I like to see how people have hideen them to blend in and avoid detection.

I agree that if a wooded area can support a regular cache that it would be better than a micro.

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

I have never been lost. Been awful confused for a few days, but never lost!

N61.12.041 W149.43.734

1.3k · July 27, 2003

Micros are a little tougher to find. I don't think we need to tell other cachers how to hide their caches, though. Just because I can't find one doesn't mean it should be made easier. There are people who take pride in making very challenging hides, and it's a good feeling when you find one of these. (Frustrating when you don't)

"Chock full of essential vitamins and waypoints"

July 27, 2003

I would definately agree. I do not mean to try and tell others how to have fun. For myself and my wife we had a particularly hard time with these while others found them easily or after a couple of tries. Part of my perception is that the difficulty on these was not listed very high. I know it is difficult to gauge what is hard or easy for different people but I still feel that if you have a nice area to place a cache that with more cover a larger cache is more appopriate. Hiding a film canister in heavy ground cover with lots of tries makes for a very challenging search at best and a major frustration for many.

To each their own for sure, Geocaching can be all things to all people but maybe the rating system needs some work to make sure it is as accurate as possible for each cache.

Touch issues when dealing with large numbers of people I know.

I have no hard feelings toward anyone and still enjoyed seeing the locations involved. My wife will try these tough locations again in the late fall when ground cover/leaves are reduced somewhat.

Team P2

Variety is the spice of life...and I like it HOT!

July 27, 2003

This is a pet peeve of mine. A micro in a neat locale is fabulous, but where a regular could be placed, I believe the placer is just lazy.

In addition, often the coords are way off 'cause they don't average 'em. They just carry a micro in their pocket, find some hole to stick it in, mark one quick waypoint and post it. I've seen one of those 130' off!

But at the same time, it's another cache to hunt, but I agree the difficulty rating should be at least one higher than normal.

Enjoy,

Randy

38.2k · July 27, 2003

quote:
This is a pet peeve of mine. A micro in a neat locale is fabulous, but where a regular could be placed, I believe the placer is just lazy.

Agreed. A micro takes little preparation. Grab a film canister and toss in a piece of paper and you're done. There are people who spread these caches around as if they were grass seed.

In an urban, or high traffic area, micros are fine. But to place one where a full sized cache will work is ridiculious.

"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day" - Dave Barry

24.7k · July 27, 2003

This used to be a pet peeve. But I had to give it up.

July 27, 2003

I protest micros placed where a regular cache could hide by squeezing in a tiny trade item.

July 27, 2003

We have yet to attempt a micro-cache, but it does seem to us that where a regular would work, a regular should be used. For us, thr ture thrill in geocaching is the hunt itself, but one nice thing about regular caches is the trinket trading. With micros, this is usually not possible for obvious reasons. Sometime soon, we'll have to try a micro and maybe our thoughts will change.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.---Matthew 13:44

Matt & Julia

To view our online geocaching diary/blog, click here

July 27, 2003

I'll echo some of the sentiments already expressed ... if it's feasible to place a regular cache I don't see a whole lot of reason to place a micro. Go smaller isn't exactly the most creative way to conceal a cache, but I suppose it is the easiest.

I usually cache with my kids ... micros aren't a whole lot of fun for a 5 year old. For them the goods make the hunt worthwhile. We generally skip the micros for this reason.

-=-=-=-=-=-

GPS_Brian

=-=-=-=-=-=

1.7k · July 28, 2003

Some of us really like micros and love the challenge of the hunt. Now we can't seem to do new virtual caches because people complained. Will you now eliminate the micros for those of us who enjoy them? Regular caches can get a little old at times. Some of my favorite caches have been challenging microcaches. Please don't ruin it for us.

******************

Till a voice, as bad as Conscience, rang interminable changes

On one everlasting Whisper day and night repeated -- so:

"Something hidden. Go and find it. Go and look behind the Ranges --

"Something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go!"

Rudyard Kipling , The Explorer 1898

July 28, 2003

I have found quite a few micros, both in the city and out in the woods. I have placed several myself out in the woods and along the highways. I enjoy the challenge of finding them wherever they are. The only thing that I don't really care for about in finding any kind of geocache, is when they are right in a very busy area where there are a lot of people most of the time. I think it is up to the cache hider to put a standard or micro cache wherever they please, be it in the woods or along a street or in a park. If you don't like a micro, then don't look for it. As for myself, I'll try and find it whatever it is. To each their own. There has been too much of this 'we know what's best for you' type of thought going on in this country lately.

"The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec."

-Marcus Dolengo

July 28, 2003

quote:
Part of my perception is that the difficulty on these was not listed very high. I know it is difficult to gauge what is hard or easy for different people

If I do a cache that I feel the difficulty rating is very inaccurate, I'll usually run it through the online Geocache Rating System located at http://www.clayjar.com/gcrs/ and see what it rates it as. If the results agree with my opinion, I'll email the cache owner and express my feelings with them, refering to that webpage and inviting them to run thier own cache through it and see what they get for a rating. It's worked for me.

Now I know that how you answer some of the questions on that page is subjective and that the webpage is by no means the definitive authority, but it does give some credence to your argument.

3.8k · July 28, 2003

check out Lakemaster's devious "study" by searching for "Little nasty" as keyword in the Hide & Seek a Cache on the main page. If you want sheer determination, read the logs of Grandma and Grandpa who have been looking for between 17 and 20 hours for EACH of the two Little Nastys. Having just spent the day with Lakemaster and participating in a "micro challenge" he set up, I think HE's the nasty one!!

~robert

(that's mrkablooey, not kablooey)

July 28, 2003

Cricket here (squrl's wife). We are new to this and just went on our first hunt for a micro with our 5 kids. We crawled around the bush forever in 90+ heat and humidity and no sign of it! (We found two old baseballs that the kids thought were treasures) So, bottom line...squrl thinks micro caches are a geo-joke to get people to tromp around looking for them. (I feel like taking his machete back out there just to prove him wrong.) What do you think?????

July 28, 2003

I carry some item's bough from a doll's house shop for swapping in micros. I just like logging something like 'Took nothing, left a bottle of wine' .

July 28, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by RJFerret
This is a pet peeve of mine. A micro in a neat locale is fabulous, but where a regular could be placed, I believe the placer is just lazy.

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:
Agreed. A micro takes little preparation. Grab a film canister and toss in a piece of paper and you're done. There are people who spread these caches around as if they were grass seed.

In an urban, or high traffic area, micros are fine. But to place one where a full sized cache will work is ridiculious.

I absoulty agree with both opinions! I try to place out Micros very sparingly.

Been there... Done that...

July 28, 2003

This is very much like the "great debate" over virtuals.

If you don't like micros, don't do 'em. If you or your caching crew prefer to trade stuff, by all means pick caches that work for you. My son likes to trade, so when he is with me I usually pick traditional caches of normal size.

I do prefer to see micros in settings where a larger cache would be too conspicuous, but wouldn't want to see someone try to draft that into a rule.

A well placed micro cache is a well placed cache. Just like an ammo box tossed in a field of trash is not the best of caches.

I think that there is plenty of room in geocaching for various types of caches. If I don't like 'em, I just move down to the next one on the list and don't spend time worrying about it.

Can't we all just get along?

Dave_W6DPS

(And yes, I like virtuals, too!)

My two cents worth, refunds available on request. (US funds only)

24.7k · July 28, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Dave_W6DPS:

_Can't we all just get along?_

Egads! A sence of humor!

July 28, 2003

I think the cache should fit the area. Big secluded area, big cache. Little open populated area, little cache.

If in the wilderness where you are off the beaten track you can have a cache that not the passerby will stumble upon, so you can have a big one.

Where you have lots of traffic and someone might see you getting the cache, one would think that it would have to be small in order to get it unnoticed.

I thought that was the whole idea of a micro cache, a small cache that you can palm without anyone seeing you do it.

Close Enough

1k · July 28, 2003

I agree. I feel that if a regular cache can be hidden, it should be, unless the intent is to make the cache a difficult one to find. A lot of multi-caches are done in a similar manner, meaning all stages aside from the last are micros.

Kar

July 28, 2003

There are many good comments in this thread both pro and con on the various aspects of micro caches. My intent in posting and my feeling personally is that each placer should give good thought to the type, place, content and difficutly rating of any cache.

I do not mean to imply that I hate micros on principal. They are just fine, as are vituals, but should be given careful thought just like any other cache. This also goes along with the "tread lightly" philosphy which I have seen apparently ignored in some cases especially with micros it seems.

Its all about having fun and I would not take away anothers idea of fun to suite myself. If need be then my wife and I might do micros rarely if at all. As was mentioned I don't think a hard rule should be needed to get participants to use plenty of common sense.

Team P2

Variety is the spice of life...and I like it HOT!

July 28, 2003

HEar Hear, If you don't like micro caches then don't look for them. Check on the topo map first to see if it's hidden in the woods or not.

3.8k · July 28, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Squrl:
So, bottom line...squrl thinks micro caches are a geo-joke to get people to tromp around looking for them. (I feel like taking his machete back out there just to prove him wrong.) What do you think?????

nope, they're out there. size makes them extra hard to find, extra devious to hide!

~robert

(that's mrkablooey, not kablooey)

July 28, 2003

I thought I would add one point to help clarify my original post. The micros in question are all urban park caches. I did not intend to imply that they were way out in the woods just that they are in small parks with plenty of ground/tree cover that a regular would still be fine. As I said there were a nearly infinate number of places to stick a film canister and in the one heavily wooded area of the urban park may not have been the best if a regular cache was not desired.

The other two micros were nicely hidden at the edge of slight ground/tree cover and had nice descriptions. They had low difficulty ratings which matched their placement.

My wife and I will try these caches again sometime as they are really close to where we live but they certainly won't be any of our favorites as we go along.

Team P2

Variety is the spice of life...and I like it HOT!

July 28, 2003

Bring them on... I will hunt them all, it does not matter the type. I have even begun going after locationless! Just adds to the spice of life!

July 28, 2003

I'll admit micros are not my favorites, but that's just because they always seem to take (much) longer to find than traditional caches. On the other hand, they do offer a different slant on the ammo-box-in-the-woods approach. As far as micros being a "lazy" hide (implied in some earlier posts) I can see where that might happen, but what if you're trying to seed a sparsely cached area, or if you are putting out caches for an event, where you won't be able or willing to make frequent maintenance visits? In those specific cases I think a micro makes a lot of sense. They require little maintenance (not ZERO maintenance, so hold off on the flames), and they're very inexpensive to place. I also like the idea of a tiny cache hidden in a public place - again, as a different sort of challenge.

July 28, 2003

I have never looked for a micro, just what is in one anyway?

A log book?

Close Enough, eh!

2k · July 28, 2003

I personally find no socially redeeming value in a micro cache. They give me a sinus headache or something. With that being said up front. I have to admit that I have found my share of them. After a while you get more familiar with where they could be hidden. Just like full size caches youget that cachers extra sensory perception. It's just harder.

Lost? Keep going. You're making good time anyway!!

1k · July 29, 2003

quote:
as quoted by butche:
I have never looked for a micro, just what is in one anyway? A log book?

Can be anything from a 35mm film container to an altoids tin. Groundspeak even sells fake rocks for micro caches.

A log book is mandatory, small trinkets and such are optional if they fit.

Hope that helps ya...Kar

TEAM SHIBBY!!!!

Krs, Kar & Na

1.7k · July 30, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Team Shibby:
Can be anything from a 35mm film container to an altoids tin. Groundspeak even sells fake rocks for micro caches.

All of those are on the "not devious enough" end of the spectrum. Behold:

Sorry if you happen to be local to me and I just gave away the trick. You've had a couple of months to go search for it.

Anyway, the point of my posting this is to point out that sometimes micros take more work than traditional caches. They're not all film canisters thrown in the tall weeds.

pirate.cgi.gif

July 30, 2003

A micro thrown in the weeds is not much fun to find - but a micro hanging from a tree or taped to a small tree trunk (so that you have to bend the trunk the get the cache) makes for an interesting find....

C

August 2, 2003

Let me clarify, micros are not the problem, as the original poster said, it's micros where regular caches could be that's annoying!

I'm all in favor of urban micros and such, and have placed my fair share of micros (steps in a multi, up in a tree, wheelchair accessible), but if you've put a needle in a haystack where there are dozens of areas for an ammo box or equivalent--you won't make friends!

Ironically, I heard that a cacher who has more than their fair share of micros, recently couldn't find another cacher's micro in the woods and was upset about it! Hypocrisy!!

So yes, we can all get along (and have fun even), but I'll still criticize lazy micros out in the woods!

(Time to convert a potato gun or pumpkin shooter to a micro-shooter that with one shot sprays film cans a tenth of a mile apart!)

Enjoy,

Randy

August 2, 2003

On the laziness topic:

I'd suggest (I'm new, but I do have ideas) that it might be better to put an empty full size cache (with only a logbook) if you don't have time to find items to put inside of it. I would probably do this, and then make the fact that it is only a container and logbbok clear in the description. If people wanted to begin stocking it as they find it, it might make for an interesting cache (sort of a trinket gathering exercise).

A quick coat of bright colored paint, or a bright colored ribbon whitinh 5 feet of a micro cache could be helpful, if noted in the description.

I'm going to start carrying bright ribbons so that I can replace ribbons where they were included in the description, if I find they are missing (thought about doing this forthe " I TOT I TAW A PUTTY TAT " cache.

Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

4.7k · August 2, 2003

there's this park in my area that is concerned about cachers wearing track. they've asked for caches to be reachable from the paths that exist. which means it's right out in view, if you're looking close.

begs for micros, if you ask me.

by the same token, i really like clever micros. i hate sloppy caches of any size. and i make a point of trading items to a micro if i can. i carry a bag of really small stuff in my regular cache bag.

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

August 2, 2003

I have a love/hate relationship with micro caches. Love them when I find them. Hate them when I cannot! Placing a geocache of any type is up to the cache owner. Putting a microcache in a spot suitable for a regular cache is a matter of personal choice. Perhaps the microcache owner does not have the time and or resources to place and maintain a regular cache, but wishes to particiapte in the sport anyway. Just as there are pooly hidden regular caches, so be it for microcaches. I've learned a great deal about "looking" and "seeing" and what the difference is. Remember the old saying about not seeing the forest for the trees? That really applies when hunting microcaches. I've encountered some really clever ways of hiding microcaches since I started hunting them a couple of months ago. My eyes and ways of seeing/thinking have improved immensely from hunting microcaches. I've taken what I've learned and applied it to hunting regular caches. Besides, it is not the place of the cache hunter to determine what type of geocache goes where. Have fun and happy hunting to all! I hunted a cache yesterday that I would call a nanocache, it was just that tiny; but I found it and had fun doing so. Peace!

August 3, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Dave_W6DPS:
This is very much like the "great debate" over virtuals.

If you don't like micros, don't do 'em. If you or your caching crew prefer to trade stuff, by all means pick caches that work for you. My son likes to trade, so when he is with me I usually pick traditional caches of normal size.

I agree, only it would be much easier if micros would have their own cache type so you could filter them out from the query as you can do with virtuals.

Czech caching in US.

2.5k · August 4, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking:
Some of us really like micros and love the challenge of the hunt. Now we can't seem to do new virtual caches because people complained. Will you now eliminate the micros for those of us who enjoy them? Regular caches can get a little old at times. Some of my favorite caches have been challenging microcaches. Please don't ruin it for us.

At the same time, there's a cache in Athens, Georgia that is large enough to hold a tricycle (the original contents included a VCR, a sound speaker, an empty gin bottle - they claim it was artsy - a bathroom scale, etc)

Some of the people who have attempted it up to this point actually had trouble finding it!

Of course, to make this well hidden cache even harder, the final cords can only be found with a micro find first!!

Wish me luck.. Goin after them in October.

here's the big one: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=28768

here's the little one: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=28766

This isn't going to be much fun... I *HATE* micro caches!

1.7k · August 5, 2003

Good luck. We found a micro that small tonight (yes in the dark) but it was lit up by the glow of our black light.

Till a voice, as bad as Conscience, rang interminable changes

On one everlasting Whisper day and night repeated -- so:

"Something hidden. Go and find it. Go and look behind the Ranges --

"Something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go!"

Rudyard Kipling , The Explorer 1898

August 7, 2003

I think microcaches are fine if they're bringing the hunter to a neat area. I guess with me, I either want cool toys or a cool area. If it's a microcache with obviously nothing to exchange and NO scenic or real value to where it is hidden, then I think that sucks. We have someone in our area who hids a microcache at every wayside. One or two particularily interesting waysides would be fine, but I find a micro at every one is excessive....

Wendie

===

http://geocaching.kb9tyc.com/

August 8, 2003

A bit OT, but:

I like micros, they're a nice break from the ammo box in the woods variety cache. The closer I come to giving up, the better I like it when I find it.

I can see having a problem with poorly planned out, or badly placed micros, but no more than with a regular sized cache.

I wonder, when it's obvious from the cache description or map, that it's a cache a given person wouldn't enjoy hunting, but they do it anyway, then complain about it, are those people driven by the 'I had to hunt it to get it off my closest caches list' syndrome?

If so, how selfish to whine about something just because you have OCD about a list. If, not, then what exactly is the reason?

I don't think this applies to the original poster of this thread (or anyone in particular), but just wondering why somebody would go on a hunt they know they won't enjoy.

_________________________________________________________

If trees could scream, would we still cut them down?

Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason.

Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest)

August 8, 2003

ok maybe i'm lucky i've gone after a few micros and all of them have been appropriate for the areas they were in. i've only not found one but is was reomoved temporarily and we found it the day after it was put back online. i really like the micros but i can see the other point too.

"If you mess with a Porcupine you might just get the quills. LOL I just had to say that"

1.7k · August 9, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by martmann:
I wonder, when it's obvious from the cache description or map, that it's a cache a given person wouldn't enjoy hunting, but they do it anyway, then complain about it, are those people driven by the 'I had to hunt it to get it off my closest caches list' syndrome?

If so, how selfish to whine about something just because you have OCD about a list. If, not, then what exactly is the reason?

So true! I've heard a few complaints like that (not necessarily about my caches). Some of them also have very few to no hides of their own.

August 9, 2003

the destination is not as great as the journy.

January 29, 2004

Cricket here (squrl's wife). We are new to this and just went on our first hunt for a micro with our 5 kids. We crawled around the bush forever in 90+ heat and humidity and no sign of it! (We found two old baseballs that the kids thought were treasures) So, bottom line...squrl thinks micro caches are a geo-joke to get people to tromp around looking for them. (I feel like taking his machete back out there just to prove him wrong.) What do you think?????

Just saw this one! It happened to be my cache and they found it after writing me to make sure it was still there. Sometimes ya have to look up!

Micros can definately be difficult, and that is why I like 'em. Even though there isn't much in the way of trading, it is the hunt and use of brainpower I like.

Some things ya have to take into consideration are:

What is the accuracy of your GPS

What is the vegitation and terrain like

How easy is it to find something small in a big place

nooks and crannies all over the place

Think of how microdots used to be used (and still are) and how difficult

they are to find. That is the perspective I have.

Erawan

January 29, 2004

I wonder, when it's obvious from the cache description or map, that it's a cache a given person wouldn't enjoy hunting, but they do it anyway, then complain about it, are those people driven by the 'I had to hunt it to get it off my closest caches list' syndrome?

If so, how selfish to whine about something just because you have OCD about a list. If, not, then what exactly is the reason?

I don't think this applies to the original poster of this thread (or anyone in particular), but just wondering why somebody would go on a hunt they know they won't enjoy.

Perfectly said! If a cache doesn't fit your particular (dare I say presumptuous) idea of what a cache *should* be, then so be it. No need to call people lazy or complain about the caches. Just don't hunt them. Can there be such a thing as a "lazy" geocacher? Sounds like an oxymoron to me.

January 29, 2004

... have to throw my two cents worth in here...

Micros are a legitimate cache and have their own place in the scheme of things. Should they only be confined to the urban setting? I don't think so. I think it is legitimate to have a micro in a densely wooded area. BUT, it is up to the cache owner to place it in a location that is unique in some way and then note it with a descriptive clue. Worst case scenario, throw a picture up on some website and use the URL as the clue so if a person sees it they can go "Aaaahhh... so THAT'S where it's at." The responsibility falls on the cache owner to make it an interesting cache.

If you get frustrated with a micro, let the owner know. Sometimes people don't put that kind of useful info in the cache logs on a DNF (or a find) and so the owner has no idea that there may be a problem.

January 30, 2004

We have yet to attempt a micro-cache, but it does seem to us that where a regular would work, a regular should be used. For us, thr ture thrill in geocaching is the hunt itself, but one nice thing about regular caches is the trinket trading. With micros, this is usually not possible for obvious reasons. Sometime soon, we'll have to try a micro and maybe our thoughts will change. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.---Matthew 13:44 Matt & Julia To view our online geocaching diary/blog, click <A HREF="http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=mrmnjewel" TARGET=_blank>here</A>

I have to agree. I'm not crazy about micros in the woods. I have found a couple that are appropriate, but most are not. I do like a micro in the woods if it takes you someplace of interest. Like a nice view, or some sort of ruins. I feel that if the whole point of the cache is someone to that place, then a micro is appropriate.

Unfortunately these types are few and far between.

F_M

P.S. I like that quote.

Edit: Posted this, only to see that this is my 100 post. WOOHOO!!!!

Edited January 30, 2004 by Fritz_Monroe

1.3k · January 30, 2004

There is a difference between "the right container for the cache" and "the largest container that could be placed here".

Now I agree that there are caches that could support larger containers, but that's completely different from a location that could support a larger container.

I think the best thing you can do is set a better example with your own caches.

January 30, 2004

As for me... I have only seen micro's done right.

Seems like most folks here in So.Cal do micro's in creative and refreshing ways.

I have found micro's as sprinkler heads, magnet laden altoids cans and even

hollowed out pinecones!

Maybe I am lucky... (Okay, I AM lucky.) but the community here is very clever

with the micros.

Cheers !

Microcaches

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment