This cache placed by soeur, a geocacher new to the game as of April 2010, raises a good question. What makes a geocache a geocache? Is it a logbook, or the container? Is it the placement or the tradeables?
Located in a lovely walking and sports park in Varsity NW with walking paths, the cache is easy terrain and miles of green grass. Nearby is a bench for commemorating Peggy Price’s Beloved Place (as shown in photo). Next to the bench, a pot of yellow flowers bloom currently. All in all, a very nice setting to sit and watch a soccer game or simply take a breather.
The cache itself is a question. The cache is not inside a container but a Ziploc bag. As other cachers have commented on this cache’s log previous, this cache probably will not be able to withstand the elements in the long term without constant maintenance.
According to Geocaching.com’s glossary of terms a geocache is: a container hidden that includes, at minimum, a logbook for geocachers to sign. Therefore, is a Ziploc bag a container? It would seem it fits the definition.
At the time this cache was found it contained a pencil, a small log and 3 business cards. Adding my own geocaching card to the list and a car accident checklist with case filled up all the space available. Sorry kids, it has to be a very skinny tradeable for this cache!
Other caches to collect while in are include:
• Score, GCXH0J by foothillswanderer. A micro that makes sense.
• Tic Tac, GC26AHR also by souer and CookieDoughIceCream. Also noted in logs a container that may need maintenance.
• M M Dog Park, GC105ZF by foothillswanderer. A small with tradables.
Clear these three plus the Cache of the Week and you have one-fourth of Varsity area complete. Carpe cache!
Comments
Not sure a baggie is a good enough container for a cache. Unless, of course, the cache is protected somehow from the elements.
Had a chance to get out and find this one today over my lunch hour -- hadn't read much about it beforehand, just picked it because it was the closest to work. Was quite surprised by what I found. I've seen this sort of thing done once before, and that was in the middle of the Nevada desert and even it was hidden underneath an old cardboard box.
Varsity is a great neighborhood to walk in. I have my doubts this cache will last.
-DanOCan (the one you met at the June event who warned you he had an opinion about everything...) :-)
Thanks both Dan and Chuck for your comments! I found this article hard to write because on a personal level, I'm not sure a baggie IS actually a geocache. And it most definitely will not last very long. It's too bad, but it does reflect poorly on the game because there are those who put in a lot of time making a fun cache to find.
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