Stuff in caches

[team_red]

When I started out geocaching, We stocked our backpack by going to the $1 store and also to the American Science and Surplus store (fun/cheap stuff for kidsand adults)we have in the neighborhood. I wasn’t sure what would be the norm to find in caches. I was surprised. What we’ve seen it mostly junk left. Since, we don’t have one of our own cache’s out there yet, I feel I really have no right to complain. The themed caches we have found, seem to have better items in them for trading. We did one member’s only caches, and that too had been pretty much cleaned out.

[knoozer]

I received from an area legislator 500 copies of WI highway road maps. They are a couple of years old but never used. I use them in my classes and they make good cache stuffers. You can always expect to find a couple in my caches if you can find them (two recent hides and at least two more under construction).

[LDove]

Another good idea! I think alot of nonprofit organizations like the Chamber of Commerce of local towns/cities may have things that they would give out to promote tourism in their town as well as fire departments/police departments to promote fire safety, 911 awareness, etc… for kids. Not only is this stuff free, it promotes your town and also educates at the same time.

[abcdmCachers]

A couple of inexpesive items that I think are fairly popular since they seem to disappear quickly from our caches:
Break your own geodes ($6/dozen) We write “geode: smash me” on them so people know what they are
and
playing cards ($8/dozen) Not high quality, but people can always use a spare deck of cards.

(edit: one more time – try to fix the URL)

[This message has been edited by abcdmCachers (edited 02-28-2006).]

[PCFrog]

quote:

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Originally posted by abcdmCachers:
A couple of inexpesive items that I think are fairly popular since they seem to disappear quickly from our caches:.

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The geodes are very nice to find if you have kids.

[LDove]

Those are really neat! I will be ordering some myself. Kids and women are easy to find stuff for in the caches. What kind of items do guys favor? I hid some magnetic key holders, a Christmas light bulb replacement kit, a magnifying glass, but I am looking for other ideas.

[pogopod]

I bought a ton of Packer trading cards at Shopko years ago and I leave them in all the caches I visit. Drives the people here in Minnesota crazy!

[RickBlick and Chick]

I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting items. Like to find clearance items at the WMart. Generally I try to T 1 and L 2 items when I find something I want. But it is a losing battle to keep quality items in the cache. Have already noticed that most of the stuff I leave, is taken by the next cacher.

[PolskaQueen]

I’m shocked when I actually find something *I* want to trade for…the best so far was corn holders from a great cache in Racine. But my kids are big traders and are REALLY dissappointed with the junk caches. I have a bag of left-over party items from my kids parties (you buy by the dozen, and only have 9 guests)….necklaces, rubic’s cubes, beanies, little stuffed animals, squishy frogs… That being said, my littlest’s favorite item is an imitation gold-plated fork that is now her “special” fork for dinner. We check our caches often and try to keep them nice. So far, that has not been a problem (thanks to everyone who traded nicely in them!)

[Decrepit]

I like to take little things that I can attach a tag to… I record the cache, coordinates and the date I found the cache on each tag, then toss it in one of my buckets of cache items. My nephews like to exchange their items for money… ususally quarters that people leave. As for what we leave… I ususally pick up things in the clearance aisles, rummage sales and resale shops. I have left notebooks, flashlights, small toys, jewelry, tape measures, decks of cards, etc. I always have boxes of trade items in my van, so I fill my backpack before I set out. If I find the cache is empty or running low, I usually add three or four items. I see the disappointment on my nephews faces when we get to a cache and there is nothing to trade and I don’t want other kids to experience the same disappointment. If my nephews find a cache and there is nothing in it for them to trade, I tell them they can take something from my trade box… then they are happy.

Decrepit

[LDove]

Here are two combined lists that I found on gc.com and gave me some great ideas. Hope they help others as well.

Small US flags
US flag pins
modeling clay
insect repellent wipes
carabiners
Energizer squeeze lights
stickers
bags of toy soldiers
water colors
mini screwdriver sets
allen wrench sets
gel pens
boxes of crayons or colored chalk
emergency rain ponchos
packs of AA batteries
collectable coins (buffalo nickels, indian head pennies, SBA or Sacagawea dollars)
music CD’s
blank RW CD’s
cassettes (blank and recorded)
calculators
clip on safety strobes
bungee cords
LED key lights
“euro” stickers & other decals
mini sewing kits
maps (hiking & road)
software
travel packs of Wet Ones or Baby Wipes
Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars
key rings
packs of Hefty Handi Sacks
bags of balloons
velcro fasteners
interesting buttons
padlocks
foreign money
Slinky Jrs.
kazoos
movies on VHS & DVD
office supplies (packs of paper clips, thumb tacks, Post-Its, etc…)
Mylar emergency blankets
decks of cards
new wallets
Pick Up Sticks
individual packs of Armor-All & Rain-X wipes
survival whistles
travel packs of facial tissue
Wheresgeorge bills and stamps
Geocaching.com hats, pins, patches and compasses
Metal bookmarks (BDalton clearence $1.00)
Mini notebooks with mini pens (Michaels $1.00)
Address books (Michaels $1.00)
Mini note cards (Michaels $1.00)
Mini Doodle posters (Michaels $1.00)
Multi colored pencil (Michaels $1.00)
“regular sized” notecards (Michaels $1.00)
Heart shaped playing cards (Target $Spot)
Family card games (Target $Spot)
Drink Coozie (Target $Spot)
Tangle Jr (Walmart $1.50)
Set of 3 caribeaners (Walmart $1.00 in automotive)
Set of 2 hide-a-keys (Walmart $1.00 in automotive)
Pair of gloves (Walmart $1.00 in automotive)
Sets of 4 Pencils, Spiderman, Strawberry shortcake etc. (Walmart crayon isle $1.00 each)
Modeling clay (Walmart crayon isle $1.00)
First aid kits (Dollar Tree)
Mini Sharpies (Staples $1.00)
Sidewalk Chalk (Bi-Lo $.79)
Mini Windchimes (Hobby Lobby $1.75 50% off!) this was my favorite find!

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“I know it’s here somewhere…”

[This message has been edited by lonesumdove (edited 03-09-2006).]

[litleflrt]

Going back to the original topic of junk found in caches… We went and did a marathon caching weekend and in one cache I found an empty Advair inhaled medication container! ICKY. That got removed. A month or so ago while doing a bunch of LaCrosse area caches with our niece and nephew we came aross a condom in a cache that was supposed to be a “toy box” cache. Of cource the kids saw it as my hubby was removing it and we got the “what’s that ?” We always trade up and most of the time once we are done trading I add a few extra things just to be safe. Just had to share about our junk experience.

[GeoPink]

[bites lip trying not to make comment on condoms and “trading up”]

Thanks for the rescues, litleflrt. I’ve not found anything worse than a cigarette and/or cigar in any caches I’ve visited. Because of the unfortunate ability of the caches to “lose value” in trading items over time, we’ve pretty much not bothered trading most of the time. Occasionally I’ll have some goodies I’ve come across and I’ll start loading up caches without trading or letting hte kids pick something, but otherwise its no trading for Team GeoPink.

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Team GeoPink – Co-conspirators to make the world a better place…
– Jeff Rahmlow
WGA President
geopink at wi dash geocaching dit com

The comments and opinions above are those solely of Team GeoPink (arcangl7) and are not those of the WGA, the WGA board, or its other fine members.

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