[Az-Geocaching] thoughts about urban geocaches...

[wolfb8]

thank you for your opinion but I will continue to use my camo( I enjoy
painting them)  paint cans if this oftens you please do not look for my
caches.... They are all paint cans only the size differs.

libby

wolfb8
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Nicol" <arizcowboy@hotmail.com>
To: <az-geocaching@listserv.snaptek.com>
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2002 10:44 PM
Subject: [Az-Geocaching] thoughts about urban geocaches...


>
> Howdy,
>
> I went out this afternoon to run some errands and decided to go for a few
> urban caches. I drove by 3 of them today and didnt even stop to do them. I
> think I know right where they are at.. but, didnt stop as there was just
way
> to many people around to go for them. They were all in city parks. The ASU
> Research Park one had not only people around, but, there are buildings
> around it with windows that you cant see in.. but, you know they are
looking
> out at you!
>
> These 3 caches I drove by are, in my opinion, night time cache finds only
> and will go back at night to find them sometime soon.
>
> I went to the airport to pick someone up on an arrival around 5:45pm today
> and tried for a few around Tempe/Papago Park as well. I did get two in the
> Papago Park area. I drove by A mountain but didnt make the climb. Way to
> many people on the trail. Just to afraid I would get up there and not be
> able to retreive the cache and log in without being seen. There is also
> Sparky's Cache. I drove within 500 feet of that one and it looks like it
is
> right in amongst the buildings! That is surely a fun cache to get if you
> like doing 'undercover' type work and the feeling that comes with it! I
do.
> But, again.. dont want to chance being seen and chancing someone taking
the
> cache. I was looking at the logs of the ones that I drove past but didnt
do
> and see they were all had during the day today. Not sure how. I wasnt
about
> to. I just didnt want to blow it and have someone see me.
>
> There is way to high of a risk of these urban caches being found by a
> non-geocacher and being taken. I think it is important to return the
> property around the cache to its very original state. In otherwords, dont
> step on bushes for one. I have seen several caches that have alot of
bushes
> around them trampled on. That is not only a sure sign of where a cache is
> hidden to another geocacher.. but, is also not a very positive thing for
the
> property owners to see. This can surely put geocaching, in that persons
> eyes, as a very negative thing. Also, if you move rocks, I think it is
very
> important to put them back exactly as found and not strew them out around
> the area. To keep the place looking exactly like it was before you arrived
> is very important. One example is the 'sign of the past' cache I visited
> this afternoon in Papago Park. Right around the immediate area of the
cache,
> there are obvious signs of pedestrian activity. In most desert parks.. it
is
> illegal to walk off a trail or path. Some even have signs reading to that
> effect. The area around this particular cache has obvious signs of the
area
> being disrupted of its natural state. Again, if a park ranger were to see
> this.. they would greatly frown upon the sport of geocaching.
>
> I propose this... I think that any urban caches should have a limit of say
> 30 days perhaps. After that, they archive. That will limit the chance it
> will be found by a non cacher. I think 30 days is plenty of time for
anyone
> that wants to go for that cache to get it. When I refer to urban caches..
I
> mean the ones that are in parks and/or surrounded by houses. The makeout
mnt
> cache, for instance.. I dont consider a true urban cache. But, I have seen
> caches in very populated parks and right amongst neighborhoods. I dont
think
> these caches shouldnt be hid in these spots.. they are great for a quickie
> after work or something and are also good for the youngsters in the
> geocaching families. But, how about limiting the time these caches are
> stashed? Eventually, they will be found by a non-geocacher and will either
> be stolen or damaged. The logs need to be recovered to prove that someone
> actually was there and didnt just log their visit to move them up in
ranking
> or just show they have X number of caches. Where they really there? No way
> to tell unless the log is recovered. (I do think we are all honest about
> that though, afterall, this IS just for fun).
>
> Also, I think that all geocaches should use 'official' geocaching cases.
> These appear to be the small green ammo boxes with the official geocaching
> stickers on the side and the paperwork contained within explaining what it
> is. I am starting to see several caches that were contained in pint size
> paint cans and tupperware containers and such. If someone saw this.. it
> could be percieved as trash (litter) and we all want to keep our lands
> clean. The official ammo boxes look much more professional. These ammo
cases
> cost very little and can be had at a military surplus store or from a
dealer
> of geocache merchandise. If you archive your urban cache after say 30
days..
> you will be more likely to still have it there to be retrieved and the
same
> case used for another cache.
>
> Professionalism is another thing. I dont think the paint cans and such
give
> the sport of geocaching a very professional image. People will think we
are
> a bunch of litterbugs hiding paint cans and stuff in our national forests
> and city parks, etc. Again, they could very well be percieved as trash in
a
> non-geocachers mind. Also, if the cache containers remain consistant (all
> ammo boxes), as the sport becomes more mainstream... non cachers might
begin
> to recognize the typical geocache container and perhaps understand what it
> is there for and not disrupt it if they should stumble upon it. I know if
I
> saw a paint can in a nice clean local park, I wouldnt think to highly of
who
> ever put it there. I know what it is there for as I am a geocacher and see
> no problem with it. I am just trying to put myself in a non cachers shoes
> and considering their thoughts. On the other hand... if I saw a nice clean
> small ammo box with a nice clean 'official geocache' sticker on the side..
I
> would perceive it as something of higher value.
>
> I am not trying to preach anything here. I am sure this is stuff most of
us
> have already heard. These are just thoughts from a new member of the
> geocaching family. I now have 15 finds ranging from easy and quick urban
> caches to hard to get to caches like the Lone Pine cache on top of 4
peaks.
> Myself and my teamies are enjoying our new found hobby and want to see the
> sport grow and keep a positive image. I think most will agree with me on
> this. We have been geocaching now since the first week of January and
> greatly enjoying the excercise the sport has brought us! (I really need
> it!). ;)
>
> Thanks for allowing me to express my thoughts on the subject.
>
> Scott
> Team Ropingthewind
>
> Scotts Adventure Flying Web Page
> http://www.geocities.com/safwp
>
>
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