do you like virtual caches?

Question

I did 2 today is that much more.

Answer 1

I love Virtual caches. 

I set 13 of my own in the early days and I’m pleased to say that enough people like them to have awarded them lots of favourite points (one has 806 so far https://Coord.info/GC4E4B ) and another was awarded Best Non-Physical cache award at the 2016 British and Irish National Geocaching Awards (https://coord.info/GCKCJV ). 

I also love finding Virtuals and have found 183 so far. For me they represent much of what is best about geocaching because they take you somewhere special that someone really wants to share.  Too many of the more recent physical caches aren’t in an interesting or beautiful place. 

Having said that, I completely understand why Virtuals need to be limited because it would too easy to throw them down in the same way as physical caches and I remember finding a couple like that in the early days with nothing to recommend them. 

I’d like to see Groundspeak allow a small number of new ones each year aimed at adding a few high quality virtuals to the stock. 

Comments

Yeah, I'm curious to see whether there will be a new release of virtual rewards this year.

Answer 2

Virtual Caches are a special kind of geocaches. There are not many left in our homezone. So if we travel somewhere we take a look on the map if there some special geocaches, then we try to visit them.

Last year we spent our holidays in denmark. and we made a specail trip for one day to visit 2 old virtual geocaches. Both show us a very nice place and so, yes we like virtual geocaches.

https://coord.info/GCKE29

https://coord.info/GCA1D6

Comments

I absolutely agree to your point of view.

Often you see a special kind of landscape or historical building. In Germany we have a lot virtuals and we love to solve and discover them.

Answer 3

Yes because they are rare and it's always cool to discover because they are most often located in beautiful places :-)

Answer 4

We do like Virtual caches, whether they are the older ones which date to the early days of geocaching, or the new Virtual Reward ones which are still being placed throughout this year. As has been said, many of them have been placed where it would be impossible (or ‘virtually’ impossible) to hide a physical cache, and we really appreciate that some Virtuals are situated at sites which are amazing places which we have always wanted to visit. - at famous tourist destinations, historic buildings and structures which are protected etc. it’s good to be able to look for something, email the ‘answer(s)’ to the CO in the same way as an Earthcache, and record your visit.

Answer 5

I love them.

I wish they would also bring back webcam caches.

Comments

I agree with webcam caches - though I had to archive one of mine -
not because the camera was not good (in fact it had been renewed only 6 months earlier)
not because the CO (me) didn't maintain - I ensured any issues were dealt with quickly
not because of any issues that geocaching would cause a cache to be archived.
In fact it was due to a member of public (muggle) complaining to the establishment that owned the webcam that they did not give permission for their  image to be displayed in a public location (albeit for the brief time that they were in shot of the camera) this being an issue under the data protection laws in the UK - due to this complaint the establishments legal team decided to remove their webcam cameras - though had they any clue as to what they were talking about this complaint could easily have been argued and the camera remain. :-(

Answer 6

They are interesting from time to time, especially when they are related to some special landmark, that would not allow hiding a physical cache or if they require some special or funny task from you. But it does not come with the real joy of finding a physical container with a logbook and trackables.

So yes, I like them from time to time, but they are somehow different game. It is great that they were partially resurrected by groudspeak and also good that they are limited in the way they are.

Answer 7

We like virtual caches when they take us to interesting landmarks or local destinations of note, similar to what good earthcaches can do. Geocaching is more than just finding an LPS or even climbing a tree or bushwacking through a forest. Geocaching can also be an interesting educational experience!! It can teach us about our environment, our history, the local culture. We travel a lot and found that geocaching can add to the experience by taking us to places that we may not have found otherwise. It might take us to a cemetery to the grave of someone famous, or infamous, or relatively unknown but who had an interesting life story. To us, there are many very valid reasons to keep virtual caches alive. They can be some of the MOST interesting caches to go after,

Answer 8

Yes, I like visit virtual caches, especially when this caches show me very interesting and beautiful places.

Answer 9

yes i like it because it's another thing To play an original form. ... without physical box, it's not a problem for me ... the sélection of players who can create virtualcache are not enaght but it's juste my point of vue

Answer 10

It's something different than the normal caches. We only have discovered one, perhaps we should do some more effort in finding these.

Answer 11

I am yet to log my first virtual cache. This is on my list of caches to do.

I think they can be valuable when there is something of interest to people where a physical cache container would upset the balance of the area. But just having a virtual cache for the sake of a cache is pointless to me.

One of the ones I want to grab is the first cache in Australia, it is a virtual cache at the moment because of it's location and the current rules. But it has significance for that reason and not a virtual for the sake of having a virtual.

Answer 12

Anything that means I don't have to poke my head/hands into nettles, thorny trees or benches smelling of urine is a good thing. So yes, I like them!

Answer 13

yes, I like them .. and nice one (since Aug 17) waiting to be discovered .. ;-)

Answer 14

I like virtual caches very much because in my zone they are very rare so is always a emotion find one of them. In London for Trafalgar square virtual cache I took 4 different metros at 11PM just to log it

Answer 15

I have yet to log my first Virtual. There is one near me at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama and I'm planning to go after it soon. As a concept, I like virtual caches but agree with others that they should be limited in quantity and location. 

Answer 16

Some virtual caches are good, some are worse. It is like with other types of geocaches. In the past it was pretty rare, but not so much after Virtual Rewards 2017. This type is helpful on places where it is not possible to place a classic cache. But sometimes I think this reward was wasted. Anyway I like it.

Answer 17

I do like virtuals as they give a different slant on the game - quite often now caches found are micros on the back of a sign and so to have a cache that takes you to a place that has some significance or meaning is always a pleasure.

It was nice that they allowed more to be put out and I hope they do it again sometime :-)

Answer 18

I always look for virtuals and other rare cache types when traveling. Happy to see that these oldies are being maintained by their owners. Also, I was lucky to get a first to find on one of the new virtual caches recently. So yes, I enjoy them very much!

Answer 19

I do, especially when they take you to unique and unusual places where a physical container could not be placed.

I have been to some interesting ones in big cities with spectacular buildings or skyline or even at the top of mountain in a glass cage like this one GC7B7T2 - it is great fun!

Answer 20

Yes, I do like them. I like them because they are few and far between, and for that reason they are usually worth finding. Im hoping to find more in the near future (including Australia's first which wouldn't exist anymore if it couldnt be virtual), but that being said im happy for them to stay as rare as they are, I think if they became more common they wouldnt have the same appeal.