Thrill of the Newbie
I had to stop myself earlier this week from saying something critical to a new hider in my area. As I was typing out my find log and thinking about my two other DNF logs for these two new hiders it came to me, “Do you remember the excitement of your first few weeks of Geocaching?”
The thrill of your first few finds can cause you to blindly into “OMG I want to hide a cache for others to find and prove I can be one of them” mode. I was lucky enough to know a few seasoned geocachers and I also attended an event early in my geocaching career to learn from them that I need to find at least 200 caches before I hide one. Mind you, I am not known for putting out amazing caches, actually most of my 200 plus hides for myself and Cache Up NB are very plain, easy and basic, no fancy stuff from this guy. I always sit at home thinking about creating a Critter type hide but I never do.
Now there are a couple of new cachers in my area that have gone out to hide their first few caches with only about 30 finds and because of the inexperience the coordinates and containers are not so great but according to the listings sound like they are some of the best and most unique caches around…lol. While I find it frustrating to see the listings that are causing others to go out and struggle and some to avoid them all together, I have to realize that these are new excited geocachers and it also seems like they are teenagers. I guess what I am trying to say is that I need to be more patient with newbies and give them a chance and not discourage them but offer advise and encouragement to learn how to do it better. I do believe that this was done and they did try to fix them but the caches appear to still have problems and I hope that they get it figured out and continue to play the game. One problem that I have seen a few times is a new cacher going out and hiding caches without enough experience and getting discouraged and quitting. I know that in our area there is a plethora of people willing to help out a fellow and especially new cacher, I just wish they would come to an event , this site or even a local facebook page for advice.
I am going to try to keep this mind when going out to find a cache from a new hider and think of a way to politely offer advice.
My first cache was too close to another that I had no idea was there and the container was nowhere near being watertight. The cache was fully stalked and the coords we bang on since I was using a Garmin though 😉
One month after Snoik and I began to cache we saw an event by Mud in the Face for an introduction to geocaching. I took to heart something he said at that demonstration. He told us that we should probably have a couple hundred finds under our belt before we attempt our first cache hide so that we can see different kinds of hides and become better acquainted with the sport.
We patiently waited until we had many finds behind us before we placed our first cache and did so with confidence that we did it correctly. Our first was an unexciting guard rail film canister, but it bought people to Maces Bay were there were no previous caches. It gave them an incredible view along a scenic drive.
We learned so much at that event (like how to properly use our gps) and met so many wonderful seasoned cachers. That event helped us to enjoy caching so much more and probably helped keep us going with it.
I too waited until at least 100 caches before I considered placing one of my own. But I always contact new cachers when they hit one of mine, Introduce myself, encourage them, tell them about local events and leave them my contact info. I know the trials and tribulations I had as a new cacher and finding out rules to a game with no rules. I know I am still learning and with help from other cachers, it has taught me a lot. With the new insurgence of cell phones, the caching community has grown so much. Some just do the looking and some want to give back. We all can’t do critter caches and all the good spots are gone. But the seasoned vets, have to be ambassadors of the game to help the newbees out. If it wasn’t for cachers like, YNDS, Digger, Mud, KFD and other that pointed me in the right direction as a new cacher, I wouldn’t have been involved like I am now. As it is now, I enjoy passing my knowledge on and going out with nebees more than finding caches on my own. May it be finding or placing caches. It is new blood that that is going to make the sport what it is.
It may be a thrill for newbies but we have decided to avoid their caches. We have tried a few of their caches and have been following the logs and we are not impressed.
Why would I want to go for a carboard cache covered in duct tape?
Why would I want to spend another 30 minutes looking for a cache with terrible cords?
Why would I want to go for a cache where the cords brings me to private property?
Even though the cords are wrong, these caches have some FOUND logs, likely by their friends, and some of them indicate that they did not have a pen when they found them.
Some new ones are classified as puzzles for some reason when they are clearly traditionals. But the coords are bad so maybe they are puzzles.
They may be teens, but the spelling on some seem like grade 3.
Some cachers have tried to contact them to offer help but there have been no replies
So we wont discourage them by complaining but we wont go for them
I haven’t been on here in quite a while but I wondered why no one went for the new cache The Tank, I figured it had something to do with a newbie. Rev Slippery is very kind with his comments and has room in his heart to let newbies be newbies. Some other comments left me very puzzled. Seasoned cachers should remember the thrill of finding and hiding their first caches. These new cachers may come from poor families and cardboard containers with duct tape is all they can afford!!! We are all here to have fun caching, not by judging and ridiculing. Some cachers are considered “pros” because they are retired and have more time on their hands than others, some other people like us, are still working but still love the game and have limited time to do so. But remember, this is a game, not a career choice or a life altering experience. So give everyone a chance to have fun and accept that all caches can’t be found by everyone.
We have no problem helping newbies. We chat with them when they show up at breakfast events, and we have actively participated in at least 6 introduction to geocaching sessions held in Dieppe.
The biggest problem with the newbie cachers in question is that we cannot contact them. We would love to give them advice and help them but they do not seem to be getting the messages.
It appears that they are doing most of their caching with their phones and rarely come to the gc.com site. One of them has not been to the site since October but has been logging finds since then.
When there is a mistake on their caches, some of us have tried to contact them but there has been no response. The coords on one of the caches are off by more than 40 meters and bring you to someone’s front lawn. Subsequent logs provide instructions on changing the posted coords but no action has been taken.
Like I said, we would love to help but it doesn’t seem possible. So we will be avoiding most of those caches.
Here is a good example
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5ER73_the-tank
I got notification emails on some of the caches last night.
Two of the caches with bad coords were archived because they were actually too close to other caches.
The Tank was disabled
Two caches that were incorrectly listed as puzzles were changed to Traditionals.
There may have been other changes
PAul
Grabbed all the caches today. Coords were off on a couple but the hints and the logs helped us get them all.
We also found the Look Out Below! cache which was a great well hidden cache. http://coord.info/GC5H9JT Some had too quickly assumed it was one of the problem caches.