Confused?

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

We are curious if others have had similar experiences with their caches.

 

We (as part of Team Dragonfire) hid a moderately difficult cache (3*D / 4*T) a while ago. It was found about a month ago. The finder left a note on the pad in the second container (see cache page for second container).They claimed they didn't know the rules of the game and because his 'little girl' want everything they took it. They left an e-mail address, but after 3 weeks we have had no response. Amazing isn't it....

 

We also went to do a cache maintainence run this weekend on one of our (2oldfarts) caches along I-15. This cache started out as a small tin about 3"X4"X1" with some coins (mostly) in it and put in a freezer bag to keep it dry. Due to the way it was hidden it needed the baggie.

 

 

Now, with all the 'Swag' in the cache it took 3 gallon size freezer bags to hold it all and get it back into it's hiding spot.

 

 

We don't know if it is because the cachers like the cache so much or if it is that they feel sorry for us (being so poor and all! ) or what, but the hiding spot is running out of room for more Swag! We're at a loss as to how we should feel about this cache -- happy because they are enjoying the cache & are leaving so much (one even added a freezer bag to keep the extra dry.) or should we be upset because now when we do a check-up we will need to take a full box of freezer bags along and check it more frequently. Boy is this getting complicated.

 

About the time you start getting burnt out because one of your caches is stolen another one is 'growing' and doing quite well.

 

John & Shirley

 

added a couple of words

Edited September 27, 2004 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

[+Renegade Knight]

That's interesting. I'd move all the extra swag to a new or different cache.

[+Robespierre]

Some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you.

[+MountainMudbug]

Similar experience here....

 

We placed a small-container cache a popular tourist area a couple years ago. Cachers kept adding layers and layers of baggies around the container until it started to look like a pile of litter! I kept stripping it back down to the container itself, but inevitably the baggies reappeared (someone even took the original container at one point, guess they thought it was a trade item??)

 

We took the hint and shifted the cache a few feet to a spot that could support a larger cannister type container.

Condition of the cache has been better since then, but occasionally I still find items left under the cache that wouldn't fit inside (which is strange to me, I don't think I'd ever leave anything that was too big to fit in the container ....)

[+YuccaPatrol]

First, somebody's sweet little darling needs to learn that she can't have everything she wants just because she wants it all. I can't imagine a responsible parent who did not know the rules believing that everything in a cache is there just for his/her little tyrant to add to her hoarde of things she has gotten in exchange for throwing a temper tantrum whenever she sees something she wants.

 

Second, if I had a cache that was actually growing, I would just remove excess items and place them in other caches that are lacking the same good fortune to be overstuffed with trade items.

[+PNWWizard]

Some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you.

Or as my Dad put it, some days you're the dog and some days you're the hydrant!!

 

I have the opposite problem, I have a coin/token cache that's getting less stuff. I started out with about a dozen items in it and when I checked it yesterday (because several cachers had found it but not logged what they took/left) it only had 5 items left! I'll restock today.

Edited September 27, 2004 by PNWWizard

[+tirediron]

Well... I guess you could look at it as the extra swag in the one cache balances out the loss of swag in the other? Net profit 0?

[+PNWWizard]

Well... I guess you could look at it as the extra swag in the one cache balances out the loss of swag in the other? Net profit 0?

LOL!!

[The Bluetooth's]

That's great! Just take the excess from the one and move it to the one that had nothing left in it. I agree someone needs to learn to tell their little one no. Because we take our children (boy 10 months, girl 5 years) with us we limit the EXCHANGE to one or two items, we even have to leave without taking or leaving anything because we leave our goodybag in the car. Our daughter is dissapointed when this happens, but she just looks forward to the next cache (and reminding us to take the goodybag with us)

 

The Bluetooth's

[+Gekobear]

If you have alot of extra swag it's time to start another cache!

[+briansnat]

They claimed they didn't know the rules of the game and because his 'little girl' want everything they took it. They left an e-mail address, but after 3 weeks we have had no response.  Amazing isn't it....

 

Didn't know the rules of the game my arse. How incredibly inconsiderate. I feel really sorry for kids who have parents who don't know how to say no.

 

As far as the extra swag, the same thing happened to a cache of mine. I had a Ziploc inside a decon box to keep the contents dry. Within 2 months, the decon box was inside the Ziploc, which was stuffed with all kinds of things. If someone didn't know better they would have thought the decon box was a trade item.

 

I just removed eveything that didn't fit, threw most of it away and placed anything worthwhile into another cache.

Edited September 28, 2004 by briansnat

[+robert]

They claimed they didn't know the rules of the game and because his 'little girl' want everything they took it. They left an e-mail address, but after 3 weeks we have had no response.  Amazing isn't it....

 

Didn't know the rules of the game my arse. How incredibly inconsiderate. I feel really sorry for kids who have parents who don't know how to say no.

It was either TIME or Newsweek that did an article on this recently.

 

Kids are screwed.

 

Anyhow, maybe a note on the cache page that says not to keep piling stuff up would be in order, and maybe archiving the one that keeps disappearing. You could also do as someone else suggested and move the one cache a bit so it fits in a bigger space, if possible.

 

Good luck.

Edited September 28, 2004 by robert

[+2dest]

I would give the benefit of the doubt about the family taking all the items. It seems pretty obvious they thought when they found it, it was all theirs. They really should have known the rules, but why bother to email you if they knew they were not within the guidlines. Forget about it and hope they enjoy the trinkets so much that they want to learn more about geocaching and the proper way to tackle a cache. Also, some folks don't have regular access to the web.

[+fly46]

 

I have the opposite problem, I have a coin/token cache that's getting less stuff. I started out with about a dozen items in it and when I checked it yesterday (because several cachers had found it but not logged what they took/left) it only had 5 items left! I'll restock today.

And the opposite of your opposite problem, someone hid a cache with x number of pennies and told everyone to take one of the items in the cache (without saying what it was) and don't trade for it.

The purpose was to see how long it would take for them to all dissapear. Instead, there's two or three times as many in there now as there were when it started.

 

 

I agree with what other people said, take the extra stuff from the first cache, put it in the empty cache. If they're both your cache, you're not taking stuff without trade, and even if they're not your caches, you're helping out the sport.