I left NEPA for NV at the end of March hoping that when I return home in October that there will be some new quality caches in the area for me to go after since I have exhausted all the good ones I didn't need climbing gear for. As of right now though the majority of the new caches that were put up have been micros. I know micros are good for numbers but where did the quality go? Going through all the swag in a regular or large size cache was almost as exciting as finding the cache itself for me. One time in New York at a TB hotel we put together a play scene with all the swag.
I do admit I have one micro out there because its in a place where muggles are prevalent but there are many places out there where regular sized quality caches can be placed. I hope when I come home there are some caches in these spots.

~Geo_Caster

Geo_Caster, I feel your pain.

- And you probably did it to set me up for a rant.
Seems most put out lately are cache 'n dashes, though a couple have been placed "kinda" nearby me just today that may prove fun.
Most newer folks are finding out about caching when enabling their GPS on the phone.
People finding this hobby on their phones find that "free and clear of all obstacles" works best for their phones.
- That kinda leaves heavy tree cover/rock crops and distance out due to reception and battery life. Much of upper NEPA has little reception outside of towns.
Just look at Groundspeak's forums and you'll see they outnumber stand-alone GPSr users about four to one now. Groudspeak realized this by giving them their own section (and subsections by operatng systems).
- For me, an unfortunate sign of the times.
Our numbers (though I care little of them) have dropped considerably since the rash of C&Ds.
I tend to stay away from them unless they're near one I'm headed to. CJ tries to find a few, but has kinda lost interest also.
I still can't fathom where "geo" fits with a parking lot, lamp post skirt or guard rail, but they're prevalent.
A couple of events we attended had people bragging of their find counts, yet not hitting any further than 1/10 from parking. What were the sticks they were carrying used for?
Many of the ones I'd hit are PMO (supposedly a temporary thing) and, well, we won't go there...
- So I get one or two when I get the time.
Solo "fives" (now that CJ's shot) is going to slow things down a bit too. Still gotta play safe.
I'm up to page 47 on "nearest from home" for anything more than a half-mile stroll.

When I was going through Illinois I grabbed a regular sized guard rail cache. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world that someone thought of a way to do it. The epidemic isn't only in PA either. The town I'm in now has maybe 60 caches and only like 5 aren't micros and I don't go after micros unless I have a chance at a FTF or they are on my way to another cache also. They lack the fun and the experience that are associated with swag trading and TBs.

With my job out here I got a discount on outdoor gear so I got my own harness, helmet, belay device, climbing shoes, and a couple of locking carabiners. I'm almost set for when I come back. It will also allow me to put up some more exciting caches!!!

Frmrgeorg wrote:
With my job out here I got a discount on outdoor gear so I got my own harness, helmet, belay device, climbing shoes, and a couple of locking carabiners. I'm almost set for when I come back. It will also allow me to put up some more exciting caches!!!


Now that sounds like a whole lot of fun!


It is unfortunate that so many c&d's have sprung up, but when people started checking each other stats as way of somehow putting a measure on cachers it became a numbers game for many. I hold to the hope that it will be a passing phase and that the ammocan fans will persevere over time. Afterall, how much fun can you have driving from guardrail to guardrail to parking lot before you just get bored and quit?

Hound wrote:
Afterall, how much fun can you have driving from guardrail to guardrail to parking lot before you just get bored and quit?


I introduced my (older) sister to geocaching and both her and her two sons sounded super excited about it. I even gave them a couple containers to hide (after they get a feel for the game). They all like to hike (moderately) and live in a cool area. My sister has an iPhone and they went after a guardrail cache that I told them about. They found it and logged it, but stopped caching. When I asked them why they stopped she said, "There just wasn't as much adventure as you said there was going to be." A Guardrail cache actually discouraged them playing the game.

Don't get me wrong, I have a few C&D and even a guardrail hide. But those are designed to take you somewhere or show you something. For instance, my "Coal St.: Gateway to Downtown Wilkes-Barre" hide is *spoiler Alert* on a guard rail. But when you are standing at GZ, you see the amazing work and effort that is going into revitalizing Wilkes-Barre and the downtown. It also has a neat view. Others serve as tb or geocoin motels.

But out of my last 8 hides, 1 was a micro, actually , a nano. And I placed that out of historical curiosity (if that makes sense). I enjoy all cache types, but something that gets the heart rate up and requires more than a few steps is always going to be better.

I think the real problem is not the size of the cache, but rather where it is placed. A parking lot cache, whether nano, micro, small, or regular is still a parking lot cache. Some might be fun or clever if the hider has a unique method, but the location is never going to be awe-inspiring or even interesting for the most part. A micro near a waterfall or an interesting historical marker or in an old graveyard, on the other hand, is fun for us. We are more interested in the setting than the size of the container.

Perhaps it has something to do with the cost of placing a micro compared to a regular cache?? Just throwing out another angle here:

Compared to ammo cans or even lock-n-locks, a micro is much cheaper. All you need is a container & a log sheet. Some containers are low cost and others are sold by the bulk. Log sheets are virtually free if you use your own paper compared to buying the "good stuff" to withstand the elements.

An regular cache could run one close to $20 if not more. Recycled pill bottles with printer paper---free!

Your right they do cost less and the location is key for a lot of reasons. I use lock locks for mine and after swag and logbook it usually costs me $20-25 because of lottery tickets. I guess I'm one of those people that believe in quality over quantity. And Nemo, I actually liked your Gateway cache because of the view but hated all the traffic lol It was a quality cache though like my Ice lakes one. As for sizes though if anyone ever puts a nano out in the middle of the woods like the one above berwick, i will strongly dispise that person for a while lol I've been there 3x and still can't find it. I love opening a log book and reading the stories of the tortures people had to go through to get to the cache I just found. I have a few more torture hikes in mind for when I get back so watch out!!!

The previous comment about the nano in the woods is definitely a good point. A micro in the woods should be a relatively easy find for two easons: If you can't find it, it's a pain in the behind to have to go back again if the hike is long or arduous. And the more intensely that people are required to search, the more likely it is that the habitat surrounding the cache will be damaged,