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Micro's ?

Stony2008
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Radman Forever

Radman Forever

Posted
Posted

When I started geocaching, there were very few micros in my area, now they are everywhere. Some people hate that and feel that they are ruining the game and are denying people the chance to place a larger cache. And some people say that since there is nothing in the guidlines that forbids micros, they should be allowed without prejiduce.

 

Is that the jist of it? Or am I delusional??

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JohnnyVegas

+JohnnyVegas

Posted
Posted

I think what you are seeing is a concern with micros being place were they should not be, as in area that might cause cacher to trample plants and bushes. This concern may be why some parks do not allow caches.

A portion of these are being place because they are cheap to place, maybe ten cents each.

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Team GPSaxophone

+Team GPSaxophone

Posted
Posted
When I started geocaching, there were very few micros in my area, now they are everywhere. Some people hate that and feel that they are ruining the game and are denying people the chance to place a larger cache. And some people say that since there is nothing in the guidlines that forbids micros, they should be allowed without prejiduce.

 

Is that the jist of it? Or am I delusional??

Nothing wrong with micros in town, and ammo boxes in the woods. The cache locaton should dictate what size container you use.

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Radman Forever

Radman Forever

Posted
Posted
Nothing wrong with micros in town, and ammo boxes in the woods. The cache locaton should dictate what size container you use.

That is so true, when I went to Indiana last week, the micros either were a challenging find and the others led me to cemetaries and/or gave good history of the area it is hidden in. Micros like that are a fun time for me! :rolleyes:

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Azaruk

Azaruk

Posted
Posted

Nothing wrong with micros in town, and ammo boxes in the woods. The cache locaton should dictate what size container you use.

And that has just neatly summed up the whole argument!

 

I have one micro - placed because of location (inside a dam wall - no way a regular sized container could be used) - which has resulted in good log comments. To make things a bit more fun, there is a regular cache in the same general area.

 

Don't like micros? Go find the 'real' one!

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Mr.Benchmark

+Mr.Benchmark

Posted
Posted
I've heard mixed remarks about micros but I don't understand. whats the big deal?

Hi Stony. Let me try to give a non-confrontational answer. (Keystone Approver's smilies are loaded for bear! :rolleyes: )

 

There are various complaints against micros, some fair, some unfair, and most of them depend on your perspective and tastes. Here's the ones I can think of:

1. Really difficult micros - some micros can be camouflaged so well that they are difficult to find because of this and their inherent small size. This annoys some people no end. I remember one that was camo'd to look like dirt. You could stare at it from 6" away - and not see it. It was amazing. Took me 3 trys to find this one.

2. Needle in a haystack micros - it's fairly easy to construct a difficult hide by placing a tiny object in a huge volume of material that must be searched. Could be foliage, stones, doesn't really matter as long as the micro kind of blends in, and there's LOTS of it. Some people will enjoy this type of hide, but many will find it to be tedious, because you just have to cull through a fairly large amount of material to find the cache. The most dreaded version of this is a micro in the woods, where poor GPSr reception may have you wading through an enormous amount of foliage to find something really small.

 

Both types 1 & 2 can be tough and more difficult to find. Some people enjoy the challenge, others prefer a different experience.

 

3. Really easy micros - some micros are in fairly obvious places because they are in areas where you realistically couldn't hide a whole lot. Often these are in urban locations and some of them involve very, very short walks, sometimes you don't actually need to leave your vehicle to find the cache. Depending on the location and hiding technique, sometimes this can be pretty cool. However, there are those who feel that this particular type of hide is overtaking some areas, almost to the exclusion of caches that involve longer walks to larger containers that are more to their liking. I personally enjoy a long walk, so this trend disturbs me, to be honest.

4. Some people really like to trade. Micros have less opportunity for this, but some view this as a traditional part of the game, and are upset to see it pass. (At least it's their perception that it's going away, whether that's actually true or not.)

5. There is a perception that some caches are hidden in areas that are poorly chosen, just to hide something. Micros are frequently blamed for this, although there's no reason you can't hide an ammocan in a garbage dump and many will find that to be unpleasant. So the notion is that since many micros (a film can and paper log) are essentially free, the hider may not have as much devotion to picking a really great hiding spot as someone who'd invested a sum of money in a larger container with contents they'd purchased for trading.

 

I'm sure I've missed some, but I think those are the big ones. To be fair, I'll say again that these are people's perceptions, although that doesn't automatically invalidate any or all of them. People on all sides of this issue tend to feel pretty strongly about it, as I'm sure you've noticed. Both sides debate which of their perceptions best match reality, and the issue is made more difficult by the fact that caching is generally a local thing - I may tell you that there are dozens and dozens of easy micros being hidden around me, and it's bothersome. You may find that the exact opposite is true - mostly long hikes to the same old ammocan, with only an odd micro thrown in someplace interesting where you could hide nothing else anyway. You'd likely rightly conclude that I was full of it - and from your perspective you'd be right.

 

Anyway, I hope I've answered your question. To a degree this is a stereotype - there are many fantastic microcaches. However, in my opinion, there are a growing number that are less than exceptional. (Again, this is just my opinion.) The good ones do tend to get lumped in with the bad, and that makes the discussion even harder.

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WRITE SHOP ROBERT

+WRITE SHOP ROBERT

Posted
Posted

with regards to micros, I've heard it said that the fun in the game is "in the search"

 

I disagree with that. If you like searching so much, close your eyes and throw your keys into some ivy, then you can search for weeks. I personally like "the find" a little searching is cool but I always thought the idea of this game was that those of us with the special tools and information would be able to find things that those without would miss. Sometimes it seems that hiders are trying to see how well they can hide the thing even from those of us who are actually supposed to find it. Micros that are hidden so well as to take many minutes or multiple visits are a little bothersome to me, as are micros with nothing in them to trade.

 

A micro is a perfect way to bring attention to a special area where it's not practical to hide a larger cache. I love to see what micro trade items people have come up with. I've made some of my Gamecards small enough to fit even mint strip tins. I also am working on a set of micro travelers that can fit into film cans and are trackable.

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WRITE SHOP ROBERT

+WRITE SHOP ROBERT

Posted
Posted (edited)
It would actually be better if you searched for some of the numerous topics on this subject rather than start another one.

show us the links? for some of us less savy forumers searching is maybe not as easy

 

My search for "micros" comes up with four pages of topics. Who wants to pick their way through all that and maybe only get old responses, when a new thread will allow new forumers to reply and be easier for the OP to follow. Why does it bother some of you guys that someone wants to start a new thread. If the thread is not worthy of a hearty response, one of them will soon fall of the charts. In fact, your reply telling them to not start a thread only serves to pop theirs to the top of the list. Sorry to vent at you but I'm tired of seeing avid forumers tell others how to have a conversation.

 

View these forums as a gathering of people similar to a party. If you were at a party and noticed two different groups of people discussing the same movie, would you tell some of them that they should have searched the room to find that topic before they started talking about it, I think not, so why say such a thing in here.

 

 

"Ummm...Excuse me, but I overheard you talking about that movie and I think before you start talking about that you should have wandered arround the room until you found someone already dicsussing it, like those people way over there. Now why don't you just go talk to them instead."

 

If I was at a party and someone said something like that to me, I'd tell them to move along and mind their own business.

Edited by WRITE SHOP ROBERT
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Azaruk

Azaruk

Posted
Posted
The Bible doesn't tell us how many micros God wants in a town. Without that guidance, and without a Geocaching Authority....do what you think is best. (My preference is for less than 10% micros...what's yours?).

I don't understand what a reference to your god has to do with micros.

 

"Selling" religion in caches is a no-no.

 

Shouldn't it be the same in the forums?

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gridlox

gridlox

Posted
Posted

Micros done with some thought are great.

 

But those that are just placed on light poles to be placing one really hold no satisfaction in the find.

 

Hide all the micros you want!

 

Just put some thought and creativity in them.

 

I've been a lurking member for over a year and have only been actively hunting for a very short period of time (since January) and only have 23 finds to date, so you can take this with a grain of salt if you will.

But, I can think of 3 micros right off the top of my head from my finds where just a little more planning on the hiders part would have made the cache a better find.

 

One in particular, is nothing more than a 35mm canister "with a Light Gray cap" sitting on the base cover on the back side of a light pole behind a grocery store.

Walk up on this thing from any direction other than the parking lot and it isn't even hid!! :blink: (How it's lasted as long as it has is beyond me!!) :rolleyes:

 

In fact, just tonight we were sitting in traffic on an small overpass that runs behind the shopping center. My daughter was with me when I found the cache in question, so she knew where to look. I asked her if she could see the cache from there.

She pointed it out from where were sitting on the overpass from about 70-80yards away to my wife and even she was able to see it!!!

And she didn't even know where it was until just then!

 

Now "that" is LAME and I beg anyone to call it different!

 

The kicker to this one is that not more than 50 feet away is a really nice oak tree that was blown over in a storm a few years ago with LOTS of nooks and crannies for the same 35mm canister to fit into and it would have been a MUCH better hide.

 

Be creative!!

 

There are several micros here that are parking lot caches. But they are NOT on light poles. Take the time to look around. That bush or small tree is just prime for a hide if you really want to place one in a parking lot!

 

"Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong."

 

c6232_full.jpg

 

D-man :huh:

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New England n00b

+New England n00b

Posted
Posted
The Bible doesn't tell us how many micros God wants in a town.  Without that guidance, and without a Geocaching Authority....do what you think is best.  (My preference is for less than 10% micros...what's yours?).

I don't understand what a reference to your god has to do with micros.

 

"Selling" religion in caches is a no-no.

 

Shouldn't it be the same in the forums?

I think there was a bit-o-tongue in cheek there, Azaruk.

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Team KwikSilver

+Team KwikSilver

Posted
Posted (edited)

Nothing wrong with micros in town, and ammo boxes in the woods. The cache locaton should dictate what size container you use.

 

This is a good rule of thumb (IMHO)....

 

Well-hid micros in the woods cut down on the hiking/exploring time, and increase the search time, with a low "rate of return". (Micros are fine, but you can't put much in them..)

 

The enjoyment of geocaching comes from the journey, the search is the 'work' part (so to speak), and the cache contents the 'reward' for the find.

 

While it shouldn't be too easy to find a cache, it should be reasonable (and properly reflected in the rating).

 

OK........flame away. :rolleyes:

Edited by Team KwikSilver
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dajoneses

+dajoneses

Posted
Posted
:rolleyes: First post. I actually like micros but it could be because there is a geocacher in our area that does these fantastic micros that are not film canisters and are hidden in such unusual ways that they blend into their "natural" surroundings. They aren't in the woods but certainly placed in areas that allow for great scenery and discovering places/parks that you pass by in your car all the time but never go to. He has a pier series that almost got us arrested for indecent fondling of a public structure. Just when we think we know all his tricks, he surprises us with more ingenious ways to stump us. Part of the fun of geocaching for us is the "hunt" because many times, the regular caches we have found so far often are not as challenging or creative. We put out our first two regular size caches and put nice swag in it (no McToys), nice FTF prizes and hid them in what we think are creative spots to try and encourage our local hiders to take more time and keeping the integrity of geocaches/geocaching to a certain level. And yes, we will be doing a micro as well (no not a lampost one) that hopefully will leave the finder feeling frustrated, angry and finally exhiliration in finding the dang thing.
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AtoZ

+AtoZ

Posted
Posted
I hate micro's. Right up until I find them.

 

Micros have a place in this game. Hopefully not in rock piles where you could lose a truck in it, or in the woods.

WOW my thought exactly.

 

Well I have to agree with GPSax too there is a place for every size container. Thought I have to admit I am guility of starting two new cachers using nano contaiers, I placed two small, 2 x 3/4 x 1/4 containers but I did it because I wanted t make a virtural but well you know so I made it an offset cache. But now there are folks using these containers in the woods. My goal in placing a container is to use the approperate size for the area, unless it is a waypoint in a multi then anything goes I'm still working on microdots.

Well any way this thread at least pops up once a week so like Ziggy says "The best thing about junk mail is it lets you know your still alive'

 

cheers

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M-T-P

+M-T-P

Posted
Posted

I just found three nano/micro caches in my area just this week and LOVED it. The first one was a standard "light post" cache, but took me almost 30 minutes to find it. Somehow, this guy made the nano container look like the end of a bolt. WOW! Talk about a find!

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Mr.Benchmark

+Mr.Benchmark

Posted
Posted
Thank you Mr.benchmark you answered my question perfectly.

 

I will leave this topic open for discussing if its OK with the moderators. Otherwise I will close it so it doesn't get out of hand.

No problem.

 

Of all the ones I mentioned, the one I have a problem with is really #3 - overly easy micros. Actually, these can be fun, and in a good location with something interesting to see, this is a perfectly fine type of cache in my opinion. My complaint is that in my area, there are a rapidly increasing number of micros that are in fairly generic locations, and involve little or no physical effort to retrieve. By little or no physical effort, I mean you probably have to walk further when you park at the mall on a busy day than you do to retrieve one of these caches. That by itself isn't all bad (easy ones can be nice at lunch, or when it's rainy or at night) - it's just that there's so many of them. (It doesn't have to be micros either - if people somehow managed to do this with ammo cans, I'd have pretty much the same complaint. It would be harder to do though.) Individually, many of these hides have some cleverness, at least here locally - it's just that collectively, it seems to me they are reducing my options because fewer and fewer people are hiding more traditional types of caches. (BTW, I wouldn't complain about a 1 mile round trip walk to a micro - it's really not the micro part of this that's a problem in my opinion. It's just that most of these types of hides do tend to be micros.) Now many people love these, and I'm not criticising them - really! But it didn't used to be this way, at least here, and if this is the way most people want the game to go, then that's great, maybe it's just not for me. But if that's the case, I do think that's unfortunate, at least for me.

 

Many of the suggestions I've been given for dealing with this have more or less boiled down to "go find something else to do," which may be practical advice, if not what I wanted to hear. I've also come to expect that many will view this complaint as evidence that I'm some kind of malcontent, trying to stir up trouble, ban a part of the activity that many people enjoy, and / or pretty much completely disconnected from reality.

 

Anyway, it's tough to have a fair-minded and sober discussion of this topic, as you can tell. What should be done about it? Should anything be done? CAN anything be done at this point, even if most thought it a good idea? I guess "Should anything be done" gets discussed after a fashion - people yell "yes" and "no" back and forth at one another every now and then with varying degrees of inflammatory rhetoric.

 

Anyway, best of luck with your caching adventures.

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Marky

+Marky

Posted
Posted

Full size caches rarely get me scratching my head, wondering where the cache is. The well hidden, creative micros are by far prefered by me over an ammo box under a bush. A well hidden, creative ammo box are by far prefered over a lamp post film canister.

 

So basically, I love well hidden, creative caches over ones that are easy to find. Size doesn't matter. However, it is generally harder to be creative with a larger cache than a smaller one (in my experience).

 

--Marky

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JohnnyVegas

+JohnnyVegas

Posted
Posted
Can we please try to stay on the subject. No more posting foot soldiers or smilies eating popcorn unless it pertains to the subject (or unless your a moderator :lol::lol: ).

 

Thank you.

Yeah, what Stony said, besides, the Royal Order Micro Blasters have the smiley people out numbered and they also have the power of the farce. :lol::lol:

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