Lifespan of GCA Moveables

[pjmpjm]

Following on from Yurt's topic about the expected lifespan of trackables, I thought it might be interesting to hear from geocachers about how their GCA moveables are doing. (This of course includes gnomes!)

My longest surviving moveable (GA2987) has lasted since 16 December 2010 and travelled 1346 kms. It's now down in Victoria.

I'm sure others can report on moveables persevering much longer than this . . .

[caughtatwork]

I've had a few moving caches.

My first went to Finland before coming home and being lost when they took the phone box it was hidden in away Lasted about a year.

A series of 4 where you had to find each one to get part of a co-ord set to find a mystery caches. They lasted about 2 years before the final cache went missing, so I archived the 4 moveables.

A few hidden up in Queensland on holidays. 1 lasted about 3 and half years, 1 lasted about 18 months.

A set of two where you had to collect them along with the key inside and then find the final and use the keys to open two padlocks. The final cache went missing so I archived them. About 18 months.

Another one in Queensland as part of a "keepings off" game lasted about 18 months.

My gnome lasted 3 months I hope my froggie lasts a little while longer.

I have to say I think they lasted a good while. The nature of a moveable cache will be that the new hide may not be as good as the hider expects and with the long time between finds, there is a better than even chance of being muggled.

Still I reckon 18 months on average is not too bad for a cache that gets picked up and moved around all over the place. I know one is still in place but has had a fence built around it after it was rehidden and you can't get to it in any way shape or form. That's got to be close to a first for one of my caches. Lost due to inaccessibility.

There are so many things you can do with moveable caches (like games, partial co-ords to a mystery, keys to a locked cache), that you can set up and have endless fun with them. They are bit more interactive than just a box under a bush.

[Zalgariath]

The Biggest Hazard in a GCA Moveable Caches Life...

Being Hidden next to, or indeed near (searching distance) of a GC Cache.

Please remember to find movables a suitable (unique!) home.

[Bundyrumandcoke]

My Message in a Bottle GCA moveable was released at the Oz Mega Wagga Wagga event, is currently in WA, and hopefully heading east to the next Oz Mega event. Released 4/4/10, currently has travelled 4790.6km.

http://geocaching.com.au/cache/ga1920

[Cheesy pigs]

The fugitive has been running since 15/11/07 and has covered over 6000 kilometres

http://geocaching.com.au/cache/ga0927

[blossom*]

The Biggest Hazard in a GCA Moveable Caches Life...

Being Hidden next to, or indeed near (searching distance) of a GC Cache.

Please remember to find movables a suitable (unique!) home.

Zal, why do you think this is such a hazard? I've found a GCA moveable actually IN a GC cache which I thought was ok at the time. The potential is that the finder might be introduced to GCA if the cache has enough info covering what it is and where to log it. But maybe you've had some bad experiences?

[The Spindoctors]

Exhibit A - http://coord.info/GL3QV2XJ
Exhibit B - http://coord.info/GL659JWB

[Zalgariath]

Yep Spindoc's Got it... the GC cache might get taken as the Movable by mistake... or the GCA cache might get taken as a Swap...

Exhibit C: Gnommando ... left next to a GC cache... now MIA

[Bronnie_1990]

It can also provide some funny logs, or even an introduction to GCA!
Exhibit A!: http://coord.info/GL5E781V
And B! http://coord.info/GL5TAEG5
And C! http://coord.info/GL5TA69A
(Yes, i know it's the same gnome, GA2857. He's still alive!)


But, it can also provide some intresting logs, say ...
exhibit ..D? (in the "why is there a gnome near the cache?" files..) http://coord.info/GL6DMYT0

(thankfully i rescued him, even through he was supposebly MIA!)

[s_mc500]

I've hidden a few gnomes with GC and GA caches, makes it easy as you don't need to work our co-ords and also makes it easy for a local cacher to find as they probably know where the cache is.

[TiedyeSmileys]

Quite a topical topic for us today. We had actually lost track of our 2 gnomes and couldn't say where they are at the moment.
We were out doing the GC Riesling Trail power trail yesterday when we pulled up on our bikes to one of the caches and saw something colourful next to the pile of rocks that hid the cache:
It was our TiedyeSmiley Gnome. Our prodigal gnome had returned to us.
The log book was missing from him however so we wondered what any GC finders thought he was, cache swap perhaps?
A truly serendipitous find

[blossom*]

There are quite a few gnomes that seem to be MIA but they haven't been archived. Is it time they are archived to remove them from the queries and maps here? It can be quite annoying to have caches still showing as active when they don't appear to be there any longer.

[caughtatwork]

The owner can archive.
A recent DNF could log a Should be Archived and then the admins can look.

[pjmpjm]

There are quite a few gnomes that seem to be MIA but they haven't been archived. Is it time they are archived to remove them from the queries and maps here? It can be quite annoying to have caches still showing as active when they don't appear to be there any longer.

And some have just now been archived, I've noticed. Very sad. I'm still feeling very bad about the group abduction near the Dural Bunnings.

But I guess we have to remain philosophical because -- back to the theme of this thread -- all moveables are going to disappear eventually, one way or another.

I feel very lucky that all 20 of my Leap Frogs are still 'in action' (so it appears) after more than 18 days . . . Would have expected one or two to go missing by this time.

[Yurt]

I was wondering why there have been no frogs placed at Dural Bunnings this year. A movable black hole?

The other familiar spots will do. Haven't been to the daisy bush for a while although the waterfall and the stump root are getting plenty of visits.