Sad Day for Geocaching

As a reviewer, I often get to hear about the bad side of geocaching. Much too often. Today, I received the following email (the name of the sender has been removed to protect her privacy):

Quote:

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Mr. Walla --

We have decided to give up on geocaching. We got two e-mails today on the one of three caches we hid that you published after all our mistakes and the searchers could not find them and how their time and miles driven were wasted for nothing. We are going to remove all three of our caches and give up. Will you please let us know what we need to do to remove the geocaches from the website? They will be removed today from where we hid them. This is just too frustrating for us. We do not want to take people on wild-goose chases. Our GPS lists the coordinates and we post them correctly and it's just all a mess for us. Others are having no problems. We are not going to bring it up to our grandchildren again. We will only search for hidden ones of successful hiders if our grandchildren bring it up first and will probably try to talk them out of it. We have wasted a lot of time and money on this venture and we have failed. Thanks for your time and help. Sorry for all the problems.

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Remember when you go for a cache that the hider may not be experienced, and there may be some mistakes. In fact, even experienced hiders make mistakes every once in a while. So please cut the cache owner some slack!

Also, when you go for a FTF, you are the one taking the risk that something may not be right with the cache. So instead of taking it out on the cache owner if the coordinates are wrong, just count to 10, remember that it is only a game, and enjoy the journey you just had!

Everyone of us has a chance to influence other geocachers by our logs and by our emails to them. Use discretion in both. Sadly, an Arkansas geocacher, by his or her action, has caused a newbie to leave the game. More sadly, the cache owner got into geocaching as an activity to do with her grandchildren, and now that activity is no longer an attractive option.

Let us all learn from this.

Chuck Walla
Geocaching.com Volunteer Cache Reviewer

Well said, CW!!! It is indeed sad that one person's email can stop a potential fun activity for grandparents and grandchildren such as geocaching. If the person who quit geocaching because of this experience frequents this forum, we would encourage them to get back into the game. Our experience with the majority of geocachers that we have contacted or who have contacted us has been very rewarding and certainly outweighs the few dings that we have taken over the years. We have also made lifetime friends through geocaching, even reviewers. If there is any way, we would be very glad to contact this geocacher and encourage them to stay in the game. We, too, make mistakes and just have to learn from them and keep on geocaching.

It is a sad day indeed when things like this happen. People need to remember that this is a game and if you decide to go after a cache it is totally up to you. Nobody makes you drive long distances to find a cache. That is a choice you make as a cacher. I don't find every cache that I search for, but that doesn't make it the hiders fault.

It is a shame that some of us cannot send an email to thank this individual for placing caches and to encourage them to not quit caching because of a few people. I would also encourage them to attend an event where they could meet other cachers.

This really is a sad day for Arkansas geocaching. I totally agree with what has already been stated. It's a shame that the remarks of one or two would cause someone to drop out of the game.

Sometimes it's difficult to remember that these aren't just names on a cache page, but are real people with real feelings. People who, at their own expense, have placed caches for the purpose of pleasing others. Even the simplest skirt lifter took time and some expense to place and, as cache hunters, we should appreciate that effort. No one who has ever read this forum or who ever will is perfect. We all make mistakes because we are human.

I hope that everyone will always remember that this is just a game and, as stated above, that no one is forced to hunt a cache. If you don't like a particular type of cache or even a particular hider, just don't hunt those caches. As I'm logging my finds or emailing a cache owner with a problem I've had with their hide, I always think how I would feel if I received the log or email.

Hopefully I have never hurt anyone's feeling with a log or email. If I have, I apologize now and can honestly say that it was never my intention.

I wish that there was something that could be said to these cache owners, either as individuals or as an association, that would change their minds about giving up on geocaching. Chuck Walla, could you please pass along to them the remarks of these posts to let them know that not all cachers are insensitive and to encourage them to remain active?

This is a fun game that provides an outstanding bonding opportunity for families. It is full of great, caring people who appreciate those who make the effort to hide caches. Please don't let the remarks or actions of a few rob you and your family of that fun.

We have been caching for three years and have met many, many wonderful people through geocaching. There are many personalities represented in the caching community, but probably 99.9% of the cachers we have crossed paths with have been the nicest folks you would ever want to meet. They have given us their friendship, they have spent time with us answering our questions, and they have hidden caches so that we can all participate in this hobby/sport. We have all made numerous mistakes through our inexperience, but we pray that we have never hurt anyone's feelings. If we ever have, we sincerely apologize. No game is ever worth making someone else feel bad. Please Chuch Walla, extend our apologizes from the entire Arkansas geocaching community and we sincerely hope that they will reconsider their decision to quit this sport. Geocaching with your family is one of the best ways to spend your time together. We would personnally like to extend a welcome to them if they decide to give it a second try. If they need any help or have any questions we would be pleased to help. I hope that they can attend an event soon and get to meet the true family of geocachers.

I remind myself all the time that this is a game and meant for everyone who wants to , to be able to play and have a good time. I have a 6 yr. old granddaughter that loves to go treasure hunting with granny. It is sad that this grandmother now feels that she cannot do this with her grandchildren. I was rude to a cache hider about a mistake on his cache and I sent him an apology. IT is not my place to criticize. Shortly after that I posted a cache that was exactly one half mile off cords. Luckily a good friend hunted the cache and notified me of not being able to find it. I was able to get it corrected before a new cache attempted it and was discouraged because it was no where to be found. Mistakes are easily made and I make my share. CW I hope you can forward these posts to that person and maybe they will give geocaching another chance.

That is sad indeed. I screwed up big time on my very first cache placement by accidentally transposing two numbers in one of the coords, putting the cache off by several hundred feet. Luckily, "GZ" was in cow pasture and the mistake was soon discovered. Since that time I take 3-5 coord readings, double check my placement on the map, and stay nervous until someone confirms with a smiley. As an FTF hound, I understand that I am the Beta tester. Some you win, some you don't.

We hope that this person will give hiding geocaches and us Arkansans another chance. From us - we are so very sorry that this happened to you.

likestocanoe gang
Jim, Sandy, and Tanner (The Cocker Spaniel)

Of all people I would understand the fear of placing my first cache. And if someone had posted such a negitive post for me I too would have considered giving it up. The wonderful people who made it a point to find mine have been great and gracious to me. It is the person who was so negititve that should consider giving this up.
I hope they give us a second chance and let us know what the cache is, there are many fox's and hounds that would jump on the chance for a
ftf, and as far as how hard they can be....ask that devil in Morrilton ;)

Pray tell, photojunky, would that be the "Hick" you speak of?