Not including your own geocaches, do you re-visit caches?
And I don’t mean just because you are with someone who hasn’t found the cache and you are out and about and hit a few you’ve already been to. Rather, do you go check out a cache you’ve found for whatever reason?
Maybe it’s a good spot for a travel bug hotel?
How about to pick up a trackable?
Or, the location might be really wild.
How about for swag?
I ask this as I still ponder my thoughts on archiving some of my caches. I like when caches are found, as I’m sure most geocache owners would agree. Alas, it seems like when the bulk of the local cachers clear them out, they just sit there and get hit once or twice or maybe three times a year.
Now, don’t get me wrong — I’m not in favor of a cache being archived after a few months, but if they are sitting around for a year or two and only get a few hits… well, it might be time to move on with ’em.
So back to the question at hand — going back to a cache.
I’ve done it before. Usually it’s to drop off some travel bugs or pick some up or something along those lines. When I do that, I’ll leave a note, too, to say that I’ve been there.
But a lot of caches, why go back?
So I come to you — the geocaching community — and ask: Do you re-visit caches? Why? When? How often?
Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com.
Like you, I will revisit a travel bug friendly, easy access cache a few times to pick up or drop off TBs or other swag. I will never revisit long hike caches or tiny urban PNGs.
I revisit to drop bugs off if I need to get rid of them or I happen to see a TB I want to grab. If it is an urban/suburban area, I’m all for archiving when you think “most” of the people in the area haven gotten it and it’s been sitting rarely visited for a few years…. but I think it is also fun to find “older” caches out in the boonies or the woods- ones that have actually lasted and an owner has maintained. You never know when a nearby event will bring more visitors… or an out of town guest… or even just someone on the way to somewhere. …but that’s just me! Of course keeping caches around ultimately comes down to the owner and if they are bored/tired of having it out there placed.
I have a cache .1mi from my house that I visited last week to drop a TB I was holding too long. I’ve done that a few times with nearby caches especially when a cache and TB are a good match. Example – dropping the EFGH TB to an “F” cache, Fish On.
I have 2 caching partners in NO and we call out the names of caches we have logged as pass by. They are 7 & 9 years old so that’s just a kid thing 🙂 We might peak to see if a cache is still there and safe but we never open them again after logging.
So far it sounds like we all see it the same way. For some TBs if needed, but usually not.
Erika — I agree with wooded caches etc. But in my town, once most caches are hit, they are hit and done. What’s crazy is we have a college and it seems like none of the some 2,000 students up there cache. Or if they do, they never come down into the village to do so!