Some Sad Folks

[+Us 4 and Jess]

i have just been reading the geocaching topics

 

there is a couple called mom & pop they are in colorado america

 

someone has gone out and wrecked all of there 26 caches, what a sad person that must be

 

they look like an older couple it says they are semi retired on their profile, now it looks like they are giving up caching, can you blame them?

 

they have gone out setting caches for their own and others pleasure and one prat ruins it for all

 

how bad is that........i know what id like to do to the culprit

[nobby.nobbs]

i don't think they've been singled out. the thread implies lots have been muggled locally to them.

looks like someones got wind of the sport and set out to trash as much as possible. webcam and a welcoming commitee for the idiots who did it.

 

why must people ruin stuff? i was no angel as a kid but we would never just destroy stuff for a laugh.

[+stu_and_sarah]

I've seen the term 'muggled' used loads in this context, but surely 'trashed' is more appropriate.

 

Muggled tends to mean removal/abuse by people who accidentally stumble upon the cache (muggles). These have obviously been picked up from the GC.com site, searched with a GPS and removed/trashed.

 

What a shame, but there's always someone about who's happy to ruin everyone else's fun. They probably have a really strange justification for it - one possible warped example being "If we trash non-members-only caches, then lots of people will start making members-only caches and then Groundspeak will get lots of money. That can only be a good thing"

 

They'll get bored eventually, and the game can go on.

 

Cheers,

 

Stu

[+Alibags]

One of my caches has been hit. Okay, my problems are nothing compared to what is going on over in the USA, but it's a bit strange.

 

The cache was glued and firmly jammed into an outer container (that's all I am saying for now). When I checked on the cache today, after a heads up from the last finder, the outer container was missing and only the inner pot was left.

 

Apart from the fact that this cache is tucked away in an out of the way spot, I would think that if somebody was going to nick the thing, they would just nick the entire thing, cache and all and not go to the trouble of dismantling it.

 

Of course, after reading the linked thread, I have got quite paranoid about this, could it have been another cacher? I have actually met very many of the local cachers, so I would not like to think so, so I guess I will just have to conclude that there are some peculiar as well as dishonest, folks out there. Perhaps if you only nick part of something it's not theft after all?

 

When I stop being fed up, I will replace this with something else. Having your caches muggled (or semi muggled) is not a very nice feeling. I may use the cache container idea elsewhere, but it was the most expnsive cache I have placed so far.

[+kbootb]

As soon as I read Alibags post I knew which one it was. A real shame as this was one of the most memorable caches I have done. Just really enjoyed the humour of it.

 

Nice location that still deserves a cache, but what a loss if the outer container is now gone.

[+Simply Paul]

For the record Ali, it wasn't me. I think I know the cache you mean, and I know you have a small stock of replacements (still might have one off you some time, if the offer is still open) but I feel your pain. My Missing Cacher box vanished a while ago and that was the most expensive cache I've placed too. Darn annoying.

 

On the wider issues, Muggled refers to the actions of Muggles - i.e. People who know no better. Trashing is done by that most dangerous of thing: An idiot with a GPS handset. The difference is important.

 

SP

 

Edited to replace the word dadgum with the word darn, because dadgum is a naughty word. Well, I'll be fcuked.

Edited March 17, 2005 by Simply Paul

[+littlejim]

I think wrecked caches like this are terrible - it' surely only a matter of time, hopefully, before the guilty party gets bored and move onto something else to wreck... (not ideal, but that seems to be life).

[+Foulger Finders]

We had one muggled as well, only a few weeks after we placed it too. We hadn't been into the sport for long but it put us off for a while until Alibags posted a note which made us feel so much better about it. We soon replaced it after that (albeit in a different place).

 

Its such a shame that some people feel the need to go out and ruin other peoples fun. They obviously don't have enough to do...

Edited March 18, 2005 by Dave, Rosa & Adam

[+Alibags]

I remember that cache! I am glad you replaced it because I enjoyed the walk the first time, and the second time I got a different enjoyable walk and also got to find the cache too!

 

I have got over my latest cache muggling. I think the answer is not to get too attached to something that you leave lying around for anybody to find. I am planning another spot to re-launch the idea behind this cache and also another evil cache to replace this one at it's current location. Nil illigitimi carborumdum, and all that!

 

I guess the warmer weather just brings out the idiots! ho hum! Ooh, it's so nice today I may go out caching (any link between my last two statements is entirely co-incidental!)

Edited March 18, 2005 by Alibags

[+thunderbird30]

Cache Smashing ( for want of a better word) really does sum up how some people think it's ok to behave these days....

 

It makes me sick

[+Simply Paul]

String 'em up?

 

SP

[nobby.nobbs]

hangings too good for them!!

 

no point being paranoid. i really hope no one within the community is doing this. sometimes though when a really well hidden cache goes you have to wonder. i mean why else would someone be looking in the out of the way spots we use?? makes you wonder what the heck they are doing to stumble accross a cache?

[+Beds Clangers]

If it is the cache I think it is, I certainly did NOT nick it

 

Nick

[+Alibags]

Nick, I am very sorry. I hope I didn't imply that it was the last finder (you) that did this. If it reads in any way like that I unreservedly apologise. In fact, I owe you thanks for bringing it to my attention and for re-hiding the thing as best you could after you found it. Abject grovelly apologies to you

 

I think that most likely it was somebody (muggle) who decided to nick it but then discovering that there was a point to the thing, just nicked part of it and left the pot behind. The 'its not really theft if you don't take it all' argument. I read the USA thread and then had a good old paranoid rantette on Thursday, but I am now chilled out about it.

 

Geocaching is based on trust. You invest money and time on placing caches, or on going to look for them and putting swaps into them. I think if you are going to take part you have to take your fellow geocachers on trust too, and assume that they are all good guys, until it is proven otherwise. With a bad attitude (my Thursday mood, unfortunately) you may as will give up and not do it, because you are just going to get all bitter and twisted about everything. The USA cache trashing is, I am SURE an exception to the rule, and I do honestly believe that 99.99% of UK geocachers are the BEST sort of people.

 

Right, I will shut up and stop boring you all now.

[+jrp45-The Man in Black]

Cache Smashing ( for want of a better word) really does sum up how some people think it's ok to behave these days....

 

It makes me sick

I Totally agree, I would love to come across a cachesmasher in the course of my travels...