[Ray]

One might deny that geocaching is addictive. One makes a concience decison to cache. For the past 1522 days and 60,000 miles I have cached by choice. I can stop at any time. I don’d need to place or adopt more than 50 caches or send more than 40 travel bugs out into the world. 5 GPS receivers doesn’t mean I am addicted. 1880 posts on the forums doesn’t prove a compulsion. I’m not addicted, I can quit any time I want. In fact I quit 7 times last week alone. ~tb

[Ray]

I feel that if you find something in a cache other than a logbook, logable geocoin or travel bug, it is a fair trading item. If you collect signature items, you may keep it, if not leave it for the next cacher. Remember that if you take something out of a cache, you must replace it with something of equal or greater value.

Used golf balls are not a suitable trade item.

[Ray]

@marc_54140 wrote:

Should we perhaps consider having a Hall of Shame, or some such name, where the 5 or 10 caches disabled for the longest time are listed?

Posted on the WGA web site. Prominently.

…………ah. Just a minute. Let me see if any of mine qualify ……

I don’t know if this would prompt a positive response. None of the people on that list have contributed to this thread (have they read it?). Some of the names on the list were a surprise to me. Some of them remain active on other threads on these forums. I was able to put the list together without great technical skill. Anyone should be able to do the same. ~tb

[Ray]

I can be there. REMINDER – Wear Long pants and high stockings. This area is normally full of Poison Ivy. ~tb

[Ray]

[Ray]

@Jeremy wrote:

… we could also have functionality that would help the approvers identify caches that have been disabled too long and let members report neglected caches that aren’t yet disabled.

The son of “Injured Reserve” lives on the beast’s laptop.

Let me know how I can help with this perennial dog issue.

[Ray]

Have we outgrown the need (purpose) of Cache of the Month?

As I see it, the original idea behind hind selecting a cache to highlight each month, was to aide geocachers in planning their activities. Where to visit and how to place a high quality cache were the issues I saw being addressed by the feature. Since the inception of COM there has been an explosion of caches throughout our state; the population of cachers has grown ten-fold as well. And yet, the numbers of nominees for COM still stands at a half-dozen, rarely more often less; and the number of voters for COM stands at about a score. One might expect the popularity of the feature to grow at about the same rate as that of the sport. I don’t see that.

Four or five years ago, cachers put a lot of effort into bringing innovation, fresh ideas and challenges to the game. Cache pages had animations (Puzzled in Cedarburg), Music (early caches by Miata), clever sagas (caches by jthorson), great locations (caches of Socko), challenges (OIT trail). Today’s caches appear at a rate of a dozen a week or more and so many are micro caches hidden in pine trees, magnetics on guard rails or zip-lock sandwich containers placed under a pile of sticks. Our newer caches may still be fun to find, but they just don’t show us the same level of effort in creation as the caches we saw years ago.

Perhaps COM has evolved from showing distinguished quality to showing distinguished effort. Should we then allow cache series to be eligible for COM? They certainly demonstrate effort on the part on the cache owner. And, is this issue even worth addressing since the portion of our population showing an interest in COM has so greatly diminished.

I don’t want to diminish the favor of any cache or cache hider. I am only expressing thoughts I have on the subject.

~tb

[Ray]

Comments are in….
take a look, maybe somebody else will take the challenge too.
~tb

[Ray]

I would agree with cathunter on the two caches he cited. I have put together a short bookmark list of my favorites from the 500+ caches around Milwaukee. I will be adding my comments to the list later today. ~tb

http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.aspx?guid=8449da3b-b16c-49b6-8fc3-94b5e7d2174e

[Ray]

We are getting too far off topic. The need for a rating system should be addressed in a separate thread.

The original issue was that there are a number of caches that are poor, and that there are a number of caches that are poorly cared for. Is there a correlation between these and experience of cachers. Then if there is, should the right to hide caches be dependent on level of experience.

I do not believe there is enough evidence to support such a correlation, nor do I believe that we can justify restricting anybody’s right to place a cache.

[Ray]

We have all seen lousy caches and we have seen wonderful caches as well. Rating the caches after they have been placed will not change its quality. It has already been placed. I am not pointing out the bad examples, only pointing out that newbies are as likely to come up with a winner as the seasoned pro is. I don’t believe that we should be putting restrictions on who can and who cannot make their contributions to the game. Newbies should be afforded all the rights and privileges that every other cacher has.

I do not see restricting newbies as bringing any improvement to the game. Nor do I see a rating system as being a positive influence. I believe that if we want to see improvement in the quality of our caches, then we need to extol the virtue of those that are good. Cache-of-the-Month, honorable mention list, favorites lists go a long way toward achieving this end. Let’s try to put more emphasis on what is being done right and relegate admonishments to e-mail rather than the forums.

JMHO ~tb

[Ray]

The list of Newbie caches of quality continues here:

http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.aspx?guid=46328d30-1fee-40bb-ab5d-682d6b645a20

If you wish, you may submit contributions to

trudyandthebeast AT juno DOT com
Subject: Inspirations from neophytes

Qualifier: must be a cache of quality placed during the cachers first 30 days.

[Ray]

Another classic
Cato Car Crash Cache (GC1996) by Thraxman (8/28/2001)
Be sure to read the cache page before searching.
It was placed by a newbie (30th day and 12 finds)

[Ray]

This cache featured a great walk in a little used nature path.
Owl be right back (GCC23D) by wzbt03 (1/11/2003)
The cache has been archived, but tha are is still worth a visit.
It was placed by a newbie (12th day and 10 finds)

[Ray]

Another classic
Ice Age Vista (GC684) by GrouseTales (4/12/2001)
One of many great caches in the Kettle Moraine; beware of Poison Ivy.
It was placed by a newbie (8th day and 6 finds)

[Author]

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