A New Way of Looking At PNGs

I've heard some complaints (not from here) that micros in parking lots, guardrails, lamposts, etc., are not in the true spirit of geocaching and that since there's no real challenge then they're pretty much pointless. Being so new I wasn't sure which side to take for a while. Until today.
I found a new way to look at roadside micros. I went out today to find one of the 101 Dalmations. It's just a few miles from my home and decided that rather than do it as a PNG that I would run to it! I ended up running about 5.5 miles today to do a park and grab! It does in fact make it just a little more rewarding. I'm preparing for my first 5K and decided to tackle this as part of my training. Since I started caching I've lost 28 lbs by walking to caches, many of which I could have just driven up to. So I guess I don't really have a problem with these PNGs, it's really all how you look at it. Just thought I would share.

I too, am not overly excited with guardrail caches. I presented geocaching to an enthusiastic bunch of "newbies" in Nova Scotia this weekend. I hid some film containers for them to find as practice. I explained that not everyone can go for a walk in the woods and that sometimes a guardrail cache can take a handicapped person to a beautiful view and it's easy to get. I used the "Mainely Rose" series as an example (thanks girls). Also, "Series" are sometimes a fun challenge, such as the "101 Dalmations" and "Piano Keys." There's been two new caches placed behind my house and I am going to run to them at some point. I also like to bike, hike and ski to the caches. Yep, it gives us motivation!:)

Try doing a "pointless" cache with my two year old and see what kind of a "challenge" it is. What is not a challenge to you may be to someone else who is not as mobile as someone else. I like all types of caches as there are all types of people and some won't like this type, and some won't like that type...etc. So to have a few choices is nice. I can't always do the Bataan Death March through the woods to a Groleau cache because I have my daughter, so I appreciate something simple when she is with me. Other times when I am alone I can do the harder ones up a mountain or down some fathomless pit. Variety IS the spice of life.

Great comments by everyone here. I have to admit when I first heard of the now Infamous micro cache infusion into Maine and also where I am now in South Carolina I wasn't too fond of them but after a while and reading all the comments by other cachers I can see now where each cache hide has it's own merit. If you don't like certain types of caches then that is your perogative to not find them. . Variety is the spice of life they say. Although I will admit that some of the LPC's and GRC's are pretty lame non the less but to each his own. Whatever trips your trigger........:D

I just heard on the radio that they've developed a new golf cart for handicapped people. You can hit the ball without leaving the golf cart. What next? Geocaches on drive-thru ATM's? You don't even have to leave the car to log a cache. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by WhereRWe?

I just heard on the radio that they've developed a new golf cart for handicapped people. You can hit the ball without leaving the golf cart. What next? Geocaches on drive-thru ATM's? You don't even have to leave the car to log a cache. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

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Ask Mainiac1957. :rolleyes: Oh......... and I have the picture. :cool:

One of my all-time favorite caches. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache...&log=y&decrypt=

It was so beautiful we almost forgot to make the find and sign the log.

And I have a picture too. Out of the 40 or so caches he did that day the Park and Grab got the most comments and evidence too.

I never met a cache I did not like! Wait a minute, maybe one or two.

Cache on!

Given the choice (and the ability to run), I think it'd be nice to go out the front door, run a mile or two each each day down a wooded trail to a different cache at a waterfall, ocean view, scenic vista, or the like. I can't imagine many people would rather do the same run to a LPC behind Wal-Mart.

But, given the fact that very few people if any live in a house where they are within a few miles of hundreds of spectacular scenic places, I am sure it is nice to have the PNGs to use as a goal.

However, when you are out driving around to see some new spots you would have not known about otherwise and get some caches, stopping every 529 feet to log a cache gets old quick for some people. As I have quoted many times variety is key.

OK - we're in northern New Brunswick. HUNDREDS of caches within 50 miles. What did we find?

1. Several caches at the side of the highway in the rock walls left after blasting for the right-of-way.

2. MANY "sign caches". Side of the road there's a billboard: "McDonalds - 10 miles". Guess what the name of the cache is, and where it's hidden. (Example here)

3. Road signs. Sign says "Watch for Moose - next 10 km. Report moose sightings.". Guess what the name of the cache is. Same with "Slippery Road".

4. Highway exits? Snowmobile/ATV Crossings? Try this or this.

Sheesh!

(And we've met LOTS of caches we didn't like. And although we've ignored a lot of caches, we've never found one we wouldn't log if we found it! LOL!)