PBD - it is a shame if you completely give up caching over this.  I can understand that you would be upset about someone basically telling you that your caches are not good enough. I do hope that you plan to remove all the cache containers for your archived caches.  If not, please let me know and I could make that my winter project to go and remove them.  I don't think there is anything that could destroy this game more than just leaving a bunch of geotrash in the woods after the caches are archived.

I can see both sides of this story though.  I just got back from a trip to New York to attend one of the largest annual geocaching events there.  One of the biggest complaints that the people out there have, is that all the new caches are just lame micros.  And all the new cachers seem to think that that's what geocaching is all about.  One new guy was proud of the fact that he had a mission to get a cache at every dunkin' donuts location.  They have pretty much reached the saturation point there where all the nice parks and such already have caches, so it becomes more difficult to find places for new caches.  Instead of coming up with clever new ideas, they use any piece of "public" property and throw a micro there, whether it's a lamp post, a section of guiderail or even a dumpster in behind a mall!

This is very sad and disappointing for all the "old school" cachers.  Those of us that remember the days when geocaching was all about the great hikes to new and fascinating locations, and even caches that had actual trade items in them to look though.  Many of the cachers that started around the same time I did are now losing interest in the game because there are so few "good" new caches being placed.

I always thought it was interesting that the real pioneers of this game - those that started in 2000 or 2001 - almost all of them quit caching long ago.  It seems that to them, the game was like some sort of covert operation - like a secret society they all belonged to.  Once they game became mainstream, they lost interest.  Now the same thing is happening with the "second generation" cachers - those that started in 2002-2003.

I was very proud to be able to tell all the New Yorkers that while Manitoba may not have had nearly as many caches as they did, we still had quality caches.  We had lots of people that put out clever puzzle caches, or out in plain sight caches that can take you two or three trips just to finally figure them out.  I was proud to say we didn't have caches along every 10th of a mile section of guiderail, and under every lamp post in the city.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a lamp post or guiderail cache is necessarily bad.  I think they are perfect for roadside rest areas where you want to be able to get out of the car and stretch your legs for a bit, but you usually don't have time to spend hours searching for a well hidden cache if you're on a long road trip.  But just because there is a lamp post (or pine tree) available, it doesn't mean it needs to have a cache in it.  My personal opinion is that any one cacher shouldn't have more than about 15 or 20 caches placed.  Otherwise it's just too much to try to maintain them all.

I guess you could say that I have seen the future.  I know what this game becomes once all the "good spots" are taken.  I think the MBGA are doing a great job of trying to promote quality caches.  I would say that Manitoba is at a critical turning point now.  If we are careful, we can still avoid the degradation of the sport that has occured in many areas already.

ChargerDad wrote:

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OH, the drama! PBD, you must not have been much of an avid Geocacher if you let ONE person's comment (intentional or not) make you want to give up the hobby.

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What I DON'T appreciate is having my email Inbox flooded with 200 of your emails saying that your caches have been archived and/or disabled -- just because you decide to throw a hissy fit.

Suck it up. Get thicker skin. Here's a Kleenex.

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I concur with everything that grnbrg has said.

At the last committee meeting, we had discussed concerns from PBD about the actions of some non-MB cachers visiting the area.  This was initially to make the committee aware of the incident.

Prior to the meeting, I had also contacted one of the visitors and asked for their feedback on our caches.  The response was not very positive.  It was at that point we decided it was interesting to get the feedback, but we weren't about to start policing how and where people cache.

We will talk about today's events at the next committee meeting as well.

I also invite anyone interested to join us in a casual gathering this evening at Jeffries Restaurant on 1420 Henderson Hwy (N49 56.729 W097 05.203) around 8:30PM.  This gathering is a chance to meet up with slippery_1 who is in town from The Pas, and meet with other cachers.  PBD, please come if you're available.

PBD, please reconsider leaving us.  I know that you and Little Diggers have enjoyed geocaching over the last few years, and you have played a major leadership role in getting our Association off the ground and increasing the number and quality of caches that we have.  We won't be the same without you.

PBD, if you’ve pulled out of caching I’m very sorry because it seemed obvious to me that you and little digger enjoyed it very much.

I’m responding to this thread in support of a hider who’s put in many hours and a lot of miles to put out caches for the rest of us to find. With all hides, people will find some caches more interesting than others, but what’s unexciting for one person, might put a big smile on the face of the next finder. I’ve still only done about half of PBD’s caches, but these are some of my favorites (in no particular order) and I certainly enjoyed finding all of them:

- Em-Bear-assed Cache
- The Bear Naked Cache
- PRIDE ROCK CACHE
- SNOOPYS CORNER 2 CACHE
- 512 mb PBD Cache
- THE OLD DOPEY CACHE
- THE OLD GRUMPY CACHE
- THE OLD BASHFUL CACHE
- THE OLD DOC CACHE
- Pocket  Pazone  Cache
- DAVE OSTER PARK CACHE
- PURPLE MARTIN CACHE
- Collector Edition 'S'
- Collector Edition ' L '
- Collector Edition ' C'
- penny's pegleg cache
- amuzing cache race

I think you were listening to finder’s feedback PBD, and it showed in your recent caches which I thought were quality hides in nice locations. I feel an absence today because the cachers of Manitoba have lost the opportunity find a lot of great caches.

It will be a loss to not have any pbd hides out there. I've found alot of his caches. Some were easy and there were some that I never did find even though they were clearly there. I think quality is in the eye of the beholder.

 I've found alot of caches and there have been some hides in different cities that I was not a fan of. (ie. caches hidden in the middle of the desert in a red ammo case under a 2 foot high tumble weed). That being said I would never openly criticize somone for their choice of hides and I hope people would not criticize mine.

It takes a lot of time and effort to assemble and place caches and the different variety of cache types and locations make the sport very interesting. If every cache was an ammo case hidden at the end of a 10 km hike then even that would get old after awhile.    

If people don't like someones hiding style then they can choose not to search for those caches. I didn't see anybody complaining about pbd caches when there were only 200 caches in the province. It's amazing how quickily people get spoiled. 

That's just my 2 cents.

Like him or hate him he will truely be missed. 

PBD's caches had a style that maybe not everyone liked. But that never seemed to stop anyone from finding more.

Many times I have cursed the fact that I had to spend another afternoon in the pine trees (and for the record most were Spruce) but that was the challenge.

How many of us are gratefull for the fact that we have, in my case, close to 100 finds because of those caches. I know I am.

There are a lot worse cache out there, but all of us consider them as another notch in the number game. We would not have nearly as many finds if we were looking for that cache at the end of the rainbow.

Maybe we don't like everyone's style of hiding but we keep looking. Let's do it without pointing fingers.

PBD I'm sorry to see you go.

Three polarbeardiggers caches are still active. Team TurdleEggs are the proud parents of three bouncing baby PBD caches in the Vivian area. They’re all nicely camouflaged and hidden Lock ‘n Locks in scenic locations. They’re intact as hidden with the original contents and log book.

Collector Edition ' L ' should remain winter friendly
Collector Edition 'S' can be found in the winter, but will be a bit tricky
Collector Edition ' C' won’t be winter friendly, so come get it while you can!

Happy hunting,

TurdleEggs

Hey PBD, We started caching almost the same weekend and have both worked at hiding many caches in Manitoba. There are very few caches we've tried for that we haven't found and we don't give up easily. Our boys found your caches had high quality contents and we are thankful for the amount of money and time and effort you put into the duck tape, the dollar store and more items, and hiding all over the province. We are sorry it went this way for you. I wish you'd have come to more of the events since I think if people had really gotten to know you they'd have found out how much this game meant to you and your relationship with your son. It is a game after all. Your log entries in our physical caches were thoughtful and well written. We especially enjoyed the Blackout cache and your cache in La Barriere Park was one of our first finds - thank you! Many of our finds and great family memories were created at your hides. And we always enjoyed the early FTF races between you and Gumpy for our hides as well. We know how you enjoyed the thrill. From all 5 of us thank you.

At our request, PDB has asked for the un-archiving of Found Finally, Little Bomber and Micro Cache 2 for us to adopt.  We will fix/replace them, and they'll be good to go again in no time. 

Thanks PDB for letting us care for them. 

I knew there’d be repercussions when the pharmacist gave me fertility drugs instead of my poison ivy meds.

TurdleEggs are the proud parents of six more polarbeardiggers caches. The five duct-tape origami works of art, Geko Guesser Limited editions #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5 hidden near Anola and Seddons Corner, and the nicely located Purple Martin cache in Beausejour.

Thanks PBD and Cache-Effect.

Happy Caching!