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Type And Quality Of Cache Contents


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I am still relatively new to this game. I have only found six to date. But, I notice that there are a lot of toys in caches (both from what I have found and more so from what I have read from others in the forums and what has been written in find logs).

 

Granted, this is a family activity and should be kept clean, enjoyable for all with respect to underage participants. However, I am over 50 years old and have long past the age bracket for what I find and think that I will find inside caches.

I can certainly understand why there are so many toys in caches for the reason stated and that there may be other reasons also. That is fine of itself.

 

I will admit that I have not been FTF on any of the ones that I have discovered, nor have I had the priveledge of finding any signature items in caches. I have a plan to start hiding my own caches very soon and am thinking of including items in standard caches that would appeal more to the adult age bracket.. That being said... I do NOT mean that I am going to put X rated pornographic material in my caches. Simply that they won't be of a toy nature... not really expensive, but certainly catering to adults and of some degree of quality. I have some ideas for a signature item.

 

I am curious to know if it is standard to put kids toys in caches (generally).. as in.. am I to expect just toys when I go out and hunt caches, taking my enjoyment just from the hunt for them, or is it acceptable to upgrade the sport (my term) by including items for the age bracket that I mentioned above? :(

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I am curious to know if it is standard to put kids toys in caches (generally).. as in.. am I to expect just toys when I go out and hunt caches, taking my enjoyment just from the hunt for them, or is it acceptable to upgrade the sport (my term) by including items for the age bracket that I mentioned above?

 

No, its not standard to put kids toys. I've found many caches with few, if any items appropriate for kids. From a personal standpoint, if I'm hiding a cache that is likely to be found by families - meaning caches involving a short, easy walk - I weight the contents towards things that will interest kids. Things like water colors, Matchbox cars, crayons, crafts kits, Legos, etc... If I'm hiding a more difficult cache that is likely to attract just adults, the contents will be geared towards them. Stuff like compasses, rain ponchos, tools, books, maps, etc...

Edited by briansnat
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The first rule of Geocaching is that no matter how worthless the cache items are they will be replaced with something of lesser value.

 

:( Well, I kinda figured something like that was going on and that is ok to a point I guess. There may be all kinds of reasons for that and I'll not be judgmental... :(

 

No, its not standard to put kids toys. I've found many caches with few, if any items appropriate for kids. From a personal standpoint, if I'm hiding a cache that is likely to be found by families - meaning caches involving a short, easy walk - I weight the contents towards things that will interest kids. Things like water colors, Matchbox cars, crayons, crafts kits, Legos, etc... If I'm hiding a more difficult cache that is likely to attract just adults, the contents will be geared towards them. Stuff like compasses, rain ponchos, tools, books, maps, etc...

 

This post has been edited by briansnat on Mar 11 2005,

 

Ok, I'll take that suggestion. I am in contact with a supplier of outdoor survival and camping equipment about a signature item I would like to use. But, like I said it won't be really expensive but of some degree of quality. If I get the ok from them to buy at quantity discount for this item, I'll post a pic of it in my gallery photos. Thanks.

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I started to make my cache one that you could trade with but after finding several caches with really nothing but junk in them I changed my mind and any future caches will only be a first find gift.

Reading post where a person places quality items in their cache to have them taken and a rock traded for them sucks and shows disrespect to the person who placed that cache.

What do I place in a cache? Depends on the cache itself. A poorly placed cache I will only sign. Why? If the cacher does not have the pride in his or her work I do not want to reward the cache with a quality item. If it is one that shows planning and the cacher was creative in making the cache, I will place a funny somthing or other. But what I look for and hope to find is one that is well planned and a challange. These I like and will rate a very nice item and post.

I do not like micros very much. Some show planning and are very creative but one that is just very small and thats the only reason it is hard to find do not rate very high on my find list.

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I didnt realize how important it is for the trading items to be of equal value, quality, etc.

 

Rarely have we found anything in a cache worth keeping for ourselves, we just move items along to the next cache or save it for a future cache replacement. Aside from the McToys for the kids to pick up, most cache content is useless stuff taking up space at in our desks, dressers, workbenches, cupboards, etc.

 

You will not find pearls, stocks, keys to a new car or giftcards to your favorite day-spa in a cache.

 

If you want to shop, go Wal-Mart, Target or your nearest mall.

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Reading post where a person places quality items in their cache to have them taken and a rock traded for them sucks and shows disrespect to the person who placed that cache.

That is why I just filled my last cache with rocks to begin with. :lol:

 

Much like Briansnat I decide what to leave based on who I think will find the cache most often. When I am out caching with my nieces or nephew I take them to caches near playgrounds so they can swing and find some silly putty. So that is what I try to leave in family oriented locations. Too remote around here means the cache is only going to be found 3 times in a year so only durable non rusting items, and a 2 mile hike means it will be found about 20 times a year by mostly adults so adult items for those.

 

Currently in my trade bag I have:

4 - Support our Troops wooden nickles

12 - Elvis/Beale Street collector tokens from the Elvis fan club about 1973

2 - Where's George dollars

2 - Golden Mouse signature pins

1 - Gold tone necklace

1 - 2.5 inch hand carved fish

2 - Bottle opener key chains

1 - Garmin/Yamaha poker run chip

1 - 1 3/4 x 3/4 souvenir brick from Endicott brick co. VA

1 - Hand sanitizer towel

1 - Beggs Family Farm MO wooden nickle good for a round of golf

1 - Hot Wheel

1 - Large blue, smiley face bouncy ball

1 - Heart button

1 - Lazar pointer with 14 heads

1 - Purple ring

 

In new caches I try start them off with a mix of items, even the caches that require a 3 mile hike I have at least one thing for Kids. I try to weight it based on the intended finder and mix them up so someone finding three of my new caches in a day will have new things to look through. On a couple of my theme caches, I take great pride in, I will keep them stocked with very nice items. In one Native American/Animal Themed cache I stocked it with about 50 Totem Power Stones and a book named Animal Energies that tells the power that Native American attributed to animals, Native American style chokers and choker kits (with bone and buffalo horn beads, brass and nickle beads and semiprecious stone beads), horse tooth, wolf tooth, turquoise, and shells. This cache is in the range of a $100 cache, And everyone has done a fair job of trading considering they do not know the stones cost over $2.00 each and chokers have about $10.00 n materials. The first finder took about $20.00 material cost and $40.00 retail cost in trade items.

 

I am always on the lookout for interesting/unique/cheap cache items. My Elvis tokens have sold from $3.00 to $10.00, they cost me about 30 cents a peace because I bought enough of them. I have just found 230 Sunbeam Sonic Mosquito Repellers, $4.00 items for 25 cents a peace because I bought the entire lot (those little buggers better be on the look out for geocaches in my area this summer!! :lol::):) I have lucked out and found 77 Golden Mice hat pens for a dollar at a thrift store. I put an interesting story with them, some card stock, printer ink and a staple and I have a great signature item for about 3 cents. I have just developed my Spirit Stones signature item which is also about 5 cents to create and is easily replenishable at that price. I am a strong believer that value is in the eyes of the beholder and the right story can turn a rock in to a treasured object (my wife has a great example on her hand right now). Therefore, things do not have to be expensive to be great cache items. Find things that are unique/interesting/great story and they will be desirable to both kids and adults. If I wanted something from the dollar store I would go buy it at the dollar store not look for it in caches. About the only thing I trade for in caches is unique items (foreign coins, old coins, wooden nickles, signature items, funny little figurines, or any thing that makes me say "Hey, that's neat").

 

I agree that we need to up the quality of the caches and hold cachers accountable for their trades. I want to find a cache in a great location, an interesting story, informational history or a great walk and a box full of things worth looking through.

 

I have tried to up the quality of the caches in my area by setting the bar a little higher. I did get a laugh when I found a new cache that 50% of the swag was from the owner finding my caches first - and the kicker was my nephew and his cousin wanted to trade for the same items I had in my trade bag and in boxes sitting at home. :):D:o

 

Now this quality stocking has come back to bite me a few times, since November I have had 5 caches in remote locations stolen and one had about $30.00 worth of old coins in a Change Exchange. All told those 5 caches cost $120 + to make then about $70 to replace. Another cache has been found by neighbor kids and emptied about 3 times, so nice but not valuable swag is used for it.

 

Keep the quality high in your caches but expect that over time content will be traded down. Also get involved with a local caching group, or start one like we did around here, and develop a community of cachers that want to be known for having the best caches around.

 

GEO.JOE

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IMHO, the adventure is the primary attraction for me, and items in the cache appeal more to my boys as part of the "treasure hunt." As such, most of the items I place are kid oriented.

 

I share the concern about the junk some people place in caches. There is little doubt in my mind that better quality items would improve the experience. Everyone needs to take ownership of the sport and trade up (not down) - you know, think globally and act locally. Here is an example of my contribution to improve the sport:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...a1-f52610b427f1

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I share the concern about the junk some people place in caches. There is little doubt in my mind that better quality items would improve the experience. Everyone needs to take ownership of the sport and trade up (not down) - you know, think globally and act locally. Here is an example of my contribution to improve the sport:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...a1-f52610b427f1

 

That is a good trade up Gretch Mess. Although it may have been expensive it certainly would provide incentive to me to go looking for that cache. That is what I have in mind for the sport, keep the valuation of the caches of a higher quality (not going without dinner for the sake of the sport, but the tin man needs oil for his joints to move if ya know what I mean). :)

 

Edit: insert name of quoted poster.. :lol:

Edited by OccidentalErrant
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The last cache I found was a nice cache. I opened it up and took out the log book. The other bag contained

1 pop top of some kind

1 used gum

1 broken glass bottle top

1 cig. but

1 unidentified object

I took the bag over to the trash can and disposed those items

The word is Cache not Trash

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One I found last night had a couple TBs, a couple semi-nice items like lightsticks and a new bison tube, but also had several useless pens, broken pencils, and discarded candy wrappers and such.

 

Kim Stanley Robinson, one of my favorite authors, in his Mars series, talks a lot about the concept of a gift economy, where the objective is to always be able to give more than you get... if everyone's thinking that way then the benefits are obvious.

 

-p

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The last cache I found was a nice cache. I opened it up and took out the log book. The other bag contained

1 pop top of some kind

1 used gum

1 broken glass bottle top

1 cig. but

1 unidentified object

I took the bag over to the trash can and disposed those items

The word is Cache not Trash

There will always be knuckleheads. In one cache I found a used disposable razor, with facial debris caked between the blades (yuck). Naturally, I removed it and threw it away. What's important is to overlook the knuckleheads, take the higher road, and trade up.

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sadly he's right. now days it doesnt matter what you start out with in a cache people just tend to trade down.

 

That is like wanting something for nothing concerning some people.. I can understand that.. as the way some segments of society are. But, I need to point out that not everyone can afford the higher priced quality items.. and that must be taken in stride, into consideration and in compassion also. In short, this game (and that is all that it is) is for anybody that wants to play it and is not particular to social class or monetary wealth. I am not trying ot exclude anybody in any regard as I post the above post, but with an open mind getting a feel for the rythum of the game. If that makes any sense at all. :huh:

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