The steady decline of the quality of geocaching....

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Do you think the quality of geocaches is going down with the quantity of caches going up?

Yes!
94
58%
No!
47
29%
Don't care!
21
13%
 
Total votes: 162

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Richary
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Post by Richary » 13 September 08 11:03 pm

caughtatwork wrote:But I don't know it's unworthy until I'm there and found it. Even pigs without ears sometimes make a silk purse.
<p>That can be true, especially when travelling. But if it is your local area, you might well realise that caches by XXX do not appeal to you, and then ignore them. Alternatively you might realise that any caches by YYY are going to be worth the effort.

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caughtatwork
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Post by caughtatwork » 13 September 08 11:06 pm

But if I ignore them and don't find them I don't get a smilie ... or an excuse to whinge on teh intarwebs.

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edmil
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Post by edmil » 14 September 08 6:42 am

As said before there are gooduns and not so gooduns and that's how it's been since I started caching. There are caches that aren't hidden in a spectacular spot and there are caches where the quality isn't that good. But for maddie and I the fun is still there, If it's not a particular good cache well so be it, it's not like we have to go back and visit it for a second time (unless of course you leave something behind - maddieeee - :D - sorry just kidding).

In my opinion the number of gooduns make up for the number of not so gooduns.

95% of the time I don't plan a cache run so I don't read the cache page of the any logs until I'm well into the search and even if I did I still wouldn't bother with an exclusion list.

If a cache needs maintenance I usually do it myself, if I have stuff with me, I will notify the owner. If the cache is in danger of going awol or is in clear view then I will let the owner know. My logs usually tell the story. If it's a particularly good cache then my log will say so on the other hand I don't tell the owner that I didn't like the cache or not a good, or the qualities bad etc.

Just get out there enjoy the fresh air, enjoy the search, relax and have a bit of fun without worrying about whats a good cache and what's not so good. It's a game its something that can be done with family and friends, it gets you out for a bit exercise. You may just run across some another great cacher.

HAVE FUN!!!

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Spruce Mooses
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Post by Spruce Mooses » 14 September 08 8:42 am

I have to say no. There are some great new caches out there and some dodgy ones too but it's always been like that.

A couple of weeks back we did a whole bunch of caches by someone we had been told wasn't that great. We're on a bit of a numbers run at the moment so we took the a 'cache is a cache' view and did the lot. The caches definitely outdid our expectations and we enjoyed the day!

Maybe it's because the quality of some caches these days is so good, a box under a tree in the woods just doesn't cut it any more.
If we think like that then all old caches are not worth doing.

I do see that the 4 sale one was bad. Just take heart that it was probably a kid giving it a go and it won't last long anyway. Not everyone is going to play the game the way you want them to play it!

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stickler
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Post by stickler » 14 September 08 6:56 pm

How many times have we done a drive by and thought I have just wasted my time and money - no more 1/1-1.5's for me unless I am driving or walking directly over them. Personally I think that we are continuing to litter the country side with way too many "rubbish" drive-bys that do not add real enjoyment to the pastime - only boasting numbers for the committed! For what it is worth?

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Mr Router
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Post by Mr Router » 14 September 08 9:43 pm

Spruce Mooses wrote:I do see that the 4 sale one was bad. Just take heart that it was probably a kid giving it a go and it won't last long anyway. Not everyone is going to play the game the way you want them to play it!
I have never quoted a better post :shock: :oops: Why dont we all spend more time caching the way we want ! and spend less time crapping on about everybody else's short coming's :oops: :oops: :oops:
if you dont want to do a cache, dont bloody do it ! build a bridge and move on :shock:
So as the Moose said " others do things different"

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Mischief's Crew
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Post by Mischief's Crew » 14 September 08 9:48 pm

Here here!<br>
<br>
:lol: Yah, for the people who just get on with it and realise not everything in life is going to please them.

Hounddog
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Post by Hounddog » 14 September 08 10:27 pm

Maybe now, after reading this topic, people are understanding why we "The 2 Dogs" haven't been doing much caching of late. For us the rot set in a long time ago. It was appalling to us that so many were coming into the game and simply placing a film canister under a rock in their local playground rather than thinking out a good cache location and spending a few bucks to make the whole experience interesting. What was more disturbing, and I'm still seeing this now, is that many were actually defending this behaviour. I warned about how this was adversely affecting the quality of the game a long time ago but was shot down in flames so I gave up.

The 2 dogs have always thought out our placements with great care and research. We place good quality caches in interesting locations or, if need be, we make a seemingly boring location come to life by informing the finders of a little of the history of the place. It was always what caching was all about to us and it was fun.

Maybe if the sport returns to resemble the days when we first started geocaching. Maybe if there weren't so many ridiculous rule makers and spoil sports and lazy placers we would still be caching and placing like we once did. But for now at least we see very little of the old magic to draw us back.

BTW Someone raised a point a while ago that all the interesting locations in the Sydney suburbs had already been placed. We proved this isn't so by going straight out and placing a few such as All Aboard you Ghosts and Asquith Adventure. I have many more new ideas for placements in the suburbs and I'm sure you would find them all very interesting and fun to do , lets see if any are thought of by others.

Hounddog

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TeamBeanDare
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Post by TeamBeanDare » 14 September 08 10:51 pm

My thoughts on the issue....

I find that the best cache hides are actually emphasised by the proliferation of urban/country micros. There is nothing better then an awesome cache after a string of "sign and go"s.

I regularly place caches on my ignore list and it's not hard pick which ones need to be there.

Unfortunately ther is no geocaching license and so we can't enforce quality.

I still come back to oen all important fact - the worst day caching is better than the best day at work. (unless you can cache as a job)

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Richary
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Post by Richary » 15 September 08 1:52 am

Hounddog wrote:BTW Someone raised a point a while ago that all the interesting locations in the Sydney suburbs had already been placed. We proved this isn't so by going straight out and placing a few such as All Aboard you Ghosts and Asquith Adventure. Hounddog
<p>I hope that wasn't my comment about Sydney being fairly full already so I haven't bothered placing them since I moved over, and I agree all locations aren't full. But being on a work trip to Perth at the moment I'm not going to study the whole thread :D <p>I have had only positive comments on the one Sydney cache (Triazolam) I have placed, and have plans for a couple more near Parra based on stories in the local paper. Historical ones based back to early settlement (at least by us white folks) but the restoration work and subsequent fencing off is still underway. <p>They may not end up being hard caches, but there will be a reason to take you there. Sure I could take you to the local park at the end of my street - in reality is a vacant block with nothing but a couple of trees and a sign saying it is a park, but why would I want to?

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Mr Router
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Post by Mr Router » 15 September 08 5:44 pm

TeamBeanDare wrote:My thoughts on the issue....
Unfortunately there is no geocaching license and so we can't enforce quality.
We :? Quality is in the eye of the beholder what is good for some is not for others, It's a smiley :!: move on :shock:
Same applies if you dont like micros :wink: if you dont like them dont do them ! Unlike a few who detest micros and have made it clear :shock: but still do them :oops: :oops: Fire suit on :wink:

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Udderchaos
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Post by Udderchaos » 15 September 08 6:37 pm

well heres an idea.

if you dont like lame caches, set an example by placing good ones yourself. if the placers of lame caches find and enjoy them, maybe it will catch on.

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caughtatwork
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Post by caughtatwork » 15 September 08 7:34 pm

TeamBeanDare wrote:Unfortunately there is no geocaching license ...
Is so :-)
http://geocaching.com.au/my/licence.png

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KevL
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Post by KevL » 15 September 08 9:55 pm

My view.

I like a nice big cache in a nice location. :D
It may give me reason to walk a trail or climb a hill. Many ,however, don't take much finding so the cache simply becomes the motivation to go to a location. Enjoyable none the less.(some big ones can be hard to locate though)

I like most micros. Some micros have been easy to locate, but getting them signed and back unnoticed is the challenge.
Some micros have been cunning hides eg GCZ4D8 or GCQMVQ.
If one was to outlaw the micro then a lot of city areas would quickly become barren.
I've found in the short time I've been caching that you can't judge a cache by it's container.
But.... a cache must have some purpose, a view, some history, skill to locate and log in a public area or even simply a reason to stop for a while on along drive.



Kev

CanSolo
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Post by CanSolo » 15 September 08 10:18 pm

Not every cache is going to be the great view or challenge that some people thrive upon. Sometimes the micro hidden in broad daylight is just as challenging, and there haven't been too many caches that haven't left me without a smile on my dial when I have found it.

Generally, I am of the opinion that the cache size should suit the location and theme of the cache. I guess that is what some of us have issues with, is that too many micros get put out where other size containers could've been used and still been easily hidden. A fork in a tree is not always a hiding place!!

Sometimes it's down to the local geology, history and architecture as to what types of caches may get hidden. It may take some one with an abstract mind to get a good cache out in an area that doesn't have anything going for it to attract people there.

From my experiences those caches you don't think much of, are better than sitting at home doing nothing, and those memorable caches keep you wanting to find another great cache.

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