Upgrading Geocache Containers 101

How many times have you gone out caching with a full swag bag and a handful of trackables only to find nothing but micros, nanos, bison tubes, and DNA caches? Too many? Me too. Call me a grumpy old searcher if you like, but I am at the point where it is time to do something about it. How you ask? Well, by writing primers, teaching Geocaching 101 events (PCP8AB), and setting an example by hiding larger containers; that’s how.

At the risk of sounding preachy, aren’t you also weary of how little thought has been put into not only the container, but the location of so many caches these days? Every time I see the description on a cache page that reads, “This corner was just screaming for a cache, so I put one out!” I cringe. Arriving at the precious location I read it is a muggle-heavy micro in a bush, with no hint and possibly shaky coords. What? Again? The pharmacy parking lot is crowded with cars and now I find myself on my hands and knees in front of some car’s grill and the first thing I see is empty soda/pop bottles and McD’s wrappers that are aged to nutty perfection. My thought is always, “Are no cachers doing CITO these days” as the container has been published for 6 months.

I check the D/T rating and it is a solid 1.5/1.5. After 20 minutes I leave and feel like I’ve been cache-whipped. Checking the past logs I see someone with 18 finds praising the CO for hiding the smallest thing they’ve ever seen hold a log. I shake my head and wonder if I will be back. The newbie swears it is an “evil hide”, but I think it is a “stupid, needle in a haystack” hide as I post a DNF.

The only upside was the full sack of trash I picked up, as is my commitment to giving back to the community. I carry a large container behind the seat of my Jeep and a roll of trash bags and don’t feel bad about preaching CITO every chance I get. CITO is the only beneficial thing we do for the community and so many veterans appear to forget this, as evidenced by the many trash strewn cache locations I’ve witnessed.

The solution is twofold. Replace your containers with the largest container possible to facilitate trackables and swag.  You may have to actually get creative so muggles don’t spot it, but cachers can make quicker work of logging it and find the experience far superior to looking for a forgettable container. I want to fool muggles, but unless I am deliberately trying to make it difficult, I want cachers to find my hide. Give good hints. Cachers who don’t want hints, won’t read it anyway, but a family with kids and us old folks will appreciate it. Reserve evil hides for unique containers folks won’t recognize rather than a nano glued to the bottom of a pebble in a rock pile by a gas station. Come on! That is not evil folks; it is mean and most of us groan when we find it.

Second, archive that old LPC or micro that everyone has found (and has few, if any favorite points) and place a new, better, and larger container. Do the homework and make it something cool and awesome and folks will come and maybe give that precious favorite point. Our landscape here in the Houston area is littered with tiny insignificant hides and aren’t worth remembering for any reason except to get a point. Many of the CO’s aren’t active or do maintenance on their caches and in my opinion simply need to archive their hides. Open the area back up for new better containers and let’s give this game a makeover. If you hide caches, protect your user name by doing prompt maintenance. The last thing you want to hear is your name dragged through the mud. Happy caching!

 Bert Marshall (BaytownBert)

Using Google Earth measurement tools for geocaches.

 BB's Primer: Using Google Earth to accurately hide caches. Here is a graphic showing the actual location of caches in Jenkins Park in Baytown. I use this method to lay out an area to get the maximum allowable caches. Note: You cannot use Google Earth Geocache Viewer to determine where the actual cache is located.

Note: Shut off the optional Geocaching Google Earth Viewer, because it is inaccurate other than showing a cache is nearby.

Copy the coordinates from the GC page and using GE, place a pin where the actual location is and rename it with the GC number. After all the caches are located and tagged, use the ruler or circle tool at the top of the page to measure in excess of 528 feet to determine if there is room for another cache.
This method will allow you to check your real coordinates when you hide a cache if you can identify the location with an aerial view and allow you to hide more caches in, say, a cemetery or a park. Why hide one when you can hide 2 or more?

On another note, you should make it a habit to check your coords on GE to be sure the cache is where you say it is.

Google Earth Pro's drawing tools do not include an easy way to draw accurate circles. But, the ruler/measuring tool does let you measure circular areas and save them as KML, so you can do the following to draw a circle:

Open measuring tool (ruler icon on toolbar, or Tools menu > Ruler)

In Ruler window, select the "Circle" tab

Select the units you want to measure the radius in (eg: feet)

Click (click, don't drag) on the map at the center point of your circle (Park-Cemetery)

Move your mouse until the circle radius is the distance you want (eg: 540 feet to be safe)

Click the map again to complete the circle

In the Ruler window, click the "Save" button

In the "New Path" window which appears, give it a name and click "Ok" button

Find your circle in the Places panel!

Here is an example of Jenkins Park with existing caches. The pale green dots are the only place a new geocache can be placed. 

Baytown, Texas - Baytown Geotour GT7A