I remember reading a post from Bronze a while ago when I had just returned from the Wagga Wagga Mega event.
At the time I had a huge head rush and was about to dump a pile of Systema containers around town, because I was sure someone had previously failed in providing me with a good cache density.
But after reading the aforemetioned post and attempting a couple of experienced cacher’s hides, I thought to myself; “What would those experienced guys think of my hides?. Would they like them?. Would they do more than one of mine?. Would they even log it?”
So I came up with some criteria.
4 Hs.
1.\ HTML.
I wanted to list my cache nicely. I am by no means a computer operator, so I came accross a GCA Wiki page that learnt me how to jazz up my listing.
I found that if I uploaded a picture into the ‘gallery’ of the listing, I could use ‘img src=’ with a link to that picture and put it right in my listing.
So I found myself spending some time ‘prettying up’ my listing to make it more appealing.
2.\ History.
I felt like I also wanted to give a REASON for bringing a fellow geocacher to this particular spot. So by sharing some additional interesting information in my listing, no matter how trivial, I can give that little bit extra to the seeker.
3.\ Hide.
People tend to love looking for something that is a little more than a empty lollie container shoved under a rock (which is totally fine for your first cache. I am not trying to offend anyone here.), and I have experienced a healthy cache logging verbosity because of a more interesting than usual placement. There is the bit that gives back to the cache owner, when you know how much someone enjoyed it by their log, it brings geocaching satisfaction full circle.
4.\ HA!.
Geocaching is a game after all, and by giving a pun or two in the listing, or an element in the final cache hide that gives the finder a fleeting moment of realization when everything ‘comes together’ makes your fellow geocacher leave your cache with a warm buzz.
I admit that I do not have all 4 of these elements in each and every one of my caches, but it is a personal goal to not hide a cache with at least 3 out of 4 of these. By doing so it makes me happy with my effort and encourages my local HAVOC crew.
