Rant - Some people have no respect!

[aurora04]

A local radio station had a contest (that thankfully just ended yesterday) where they hid 3 keys around the municipality and each key opened a safe with a big prize. Well while people were searching for these keys, they stumbled across geocaches that local Geocachers have placed. Instead of leaving the geocaches intact where they found them, they would destroy them, or just take them. This didn't happen all the time of course. Some people put them back where they beloned, but not everyone! A local geocacher lost a whole series of caches. We went out today to get some, one was just found yesterday (by someone looking for a key), but when we went today it was gone. I knew exactly where this one was, as I found it several months ago (only stopped because my sister didn't find it yet) and it was no where to be found. We went to another one that was brand new, it had already been taken due to this promotion, and the owner replaced it 2 days ago. Well we went to find it, and we could not find it at all. It was taken again because of this promotion. My husband (who is not a geocacher), found a cache while looking for a key, and he put it right back where he found it. These geocaches cost people money to put out and keep the maintance on. It just sucks that there are people that go and ruin the fun for everyone else. I have to take the kids out soon and check all out caches, but I'm sure they are far enough in the woods that they are probably safe. I know it was disappointing to find a cache and think it was "the key" and it turned out not to be, but that doesn't mean they had to destroy them. There are notes in each and every one of these caches that explain what they are and why they are hidden and that they are "Offical Geocaches" and gives the website to go to log the find or to learn more information and to ask the person who found it to replace the container where you found it. The radio station didn't help matters much, as they actuallly hid a key in a geocache!

Thanks for listening to me rant! It was just a bit disheartening to hear people on our group talk about all the caches that they have lost and will now have to go out and replace (as this is part of the fun to have the caches out there for people to find) and for us that went out to go geocaching, and some of the ones we went out to find were taken. This happens periodically and is to be expected (especially if you put it in a high traffic area), but for the blatant disrespect people have shown during this promotion is just horrible!

[cath007]

some people...sorry for the irresponsible people...

[luckbealady]

A group of you should contact the radio station to explain the situation, and how their promotion has damaged the geocaches.

Maybe ask them to put a notice on air that any geocaches that were found could be returned to the station.

[linnyeg]

As a geocacher, that's so frustrating!

[aurora04]

It has been brought to the radio station's attention multiple times, and they would keep saying "not to destroy things in your search". My kids were so upset when they found out people destroyed a lot of caches.

[Sunraven]

Wow that really grinds my gears!

My husband and I really love geocaching together.

Why couldn't they just put the caches back and not destroy or take them?! Gah! People!

[GracieAnne]

Am I the only one thinking, WTH is geocatching? :x

[aurora04]

A lot of people don't know what geocaching is. It is basically high tech Hide and Seek. There are caches hidden all over the world. The range in size from nano (extremely small) to large (5 Gallon containers). There are log books inside each cache to sign, and the larger caches has tradeable items in it. If you take something, you leave something. There are also Trackable items. You place these, and hopefully they will visit different caches around the world (my son had one go to Panama before it disappeared). Here is the website that tells all about it. https://www.geocaching.com/ It is a great activity to do and get some excercise. We have lived in this down for about 28 years, and because of geocaching, we have discovered areas in our own town that we never knew existed. We will usually geocache where we happen to travel. This adds to fun to our drive and breaks up the long drives.

[TTBY]

Am I the only one thinking, WTH is geocatching? :x

I am in the same boat with you

aurora04, thanks very much for explaining. Sound fun.

[DaveP]

A local radio station had a contest (that thankfully just ended yesterday) where they hid 3 keys around the municipality and each key opened a safe with a big prize.

The Giant, by any chance?

[ssbean]

Am I the only one thinking, WTH is geocatching? :x

I thought I was the only one! LOL!

Learned something new today.

[aurora04]

Yup, it was The Giant! I thought it was a great contest for people to get out and explore and such, just didn't realize how many geocaches were destroyed in the process. I still think it was a good contest as it got people out into the fresh air, they were getting excersice searching for these keys, etc... Plus Geocaching may have gotten a few more members from this if they stumbled across a cache and read the note inside. I just hate the fact that a lot of caches got destroyed/stolen by some people. DD keeps saying it was the radio stations fault, where I keep telling her that they kept telling people not to destroy anything that they find, and the radio station didn't make these people destroy the caches. It was the thoughtlessness of the people involved.

[Chantel]

A lot of people have no idea what a geocache is. It's like tearpads, so many people walk right past them. We notice them because we KNOW what they are and are LOOKING for them. To other people it just may look like somebody left something behind.

I understand absolutely why you're frustrated, but a lot of people don't know it has any meaning or worth to other people, or that it's a 'thing'.

I would call the radio station and explain, hopefully they'll put a spot on the air that explains it and lets people know not to disturb or take the items should they ever stumble upon one.

[Appleby]

Am I the only one thinking, WTH is geocatching? :x

I was going to ask the same question!!

[Appleby]

A lot of people don't know what geocaching is. It is basically high tech Hide and Seek. There are caches hidden all over the world. The range in size from nano (extremely small) to large (5 Gallon containers). There are log books inside each cache to sign, and the larger caches has tradeable items in it. If you take something, you leave something. There are also Trackable items. You place these, and hopefully they will visit different caches around the world (my son had one go to Panama before it disappeared). Here is the website that tells all about it. https://www.geocaching.com/ It is a great activity to do and get some excercise. We have lived in this down for about 28 years, and because of geocaching, we have discovered areas in our own town that we never knew existed. We will usually geocache where we happen to travel. This adds to fun to our drive and breaks up the long drives.

I have been on the site and I can see how this could be addicting and very enjoyable.