[Az-Geocaching] Food for Thought

[Roping The Wind]

Ok, this discussion is actually getting just a tad bit sidetracked from what 
I intended. I am not necessarily saying that caches shouldnt be placed in 
urban areas. What I am getting at is this:

I have noticed ALOT of caches in my local area (east valley primarily) that 
got archived before I had a chance to get to it. Sometimes they lasted a few 
days, sometimes a couple weeks or maybe a month at most. In the description 
of many of these caches, the cache owner put in... "please be discrete and 
use stealth as there are alot of people around"... or something to that 
extent. Then, the cache shows up missing a week after it was placed. I mean, 
a cacher can only use so much 'stealth'. I mean, you cant be invisible!!! 
Sometimes, just your presence in a given location is enough to make people 
look over at you and wonder what you are doing. (like security and police or 
nearby business owners, etc). For instance, scrutinizing a utility/electric 
box, etc. Invariably, someone is likely to give away the cache location 
simply by being there and searching for the cache. Or... maybe one cacher 
doesnt give the location away.. but a number of cachers visiting the same 
area in a short period of time (like when the cache has just become active 
and everyone is rushing to it for a first find) gives the location away.

Then, the cache owner leaves a note saying something like "I am archiving 
this cache as it has come up missing"....

Well, DUH!!!!  :)

Generally speaking, caches placed nowadays dont have a life expectancy that 
the older caches do (many of which are still active, over 3 years now). 
Although there are many exceptions to that statement. The reason, I beleive, 
is because there are alot more caches placed in urban areas these days 
(where high concentrations of people are). Seems like cache owners are 
trying to intentionally place caches in areas where there are a high 
concentration of people with the intent of adding a bit more challenge to 
the find. Then, the owner complains that a cacher wasnt stealthy enough and 
gave the location away or wonders why it came up missing in such a short 
time!!!

Very recently, another cacher pointed out to me that many of the South 
Mountain caches are still active. He named off a bunch of really old south 
mountain area caches that I found well over 2 years ago... they are still 
there. South Mountain is a very busy park and there are many people in it at 
any given time of the day. Yet, many of these caches stand the test of time.

In closing.... (aka... Jerry Springers final thoughts)...

Yes, a cacher needs to use some degree of stealth and be a bit discrete so 
as not to give the cache location away. Even in a wilderness type setting, 
you never know when someone might be hiking by. Being discrete is part of 
the game of geoching.. to help preserve the cache for many future cachers to 
find. But, lets use some common sense here. If you stick your cache under a 
piece of playground equiptment in a normally crowded city park... and then 
state "please be discrete"..... you  aren't being realistic!!!

Scott
Team RTW