Geocaching: Can't find cache

Today I tried to find a virtual geocache using a different virtual geocaching game that a friend told me about.  Since MonsterCache is also a virtual geocaching game, I figured I better check out some of the competitors.  This one was actually more like a regular geocache than our monsters are because you have to find a physical sticker that someone else placed somewhere.  When you find it you're supposed to scan a bar code on the sticker to show you found it.

I hate to say it, but it reminded me why I found regular geocaching frustrating.  Its a lot of fun when you find the canister -- or whatever is hidden -- and see what's inside.  But its frustrating when you can't find it, and that's what happened today.

I drove near the spot on the map where the phone app indicated this virtual geocache was.  It was just off of a walking trail in the woods.  I parked, got on the trail, went into the woods towards the marker.  As I neared where the marker was indicating, I came to a clearing.  That seemed promising.  But after 10 minutes, at least, of walking around, looking in and under logs, I couldn't find anything.  Hard to imagine that another geocacher moved it.  Maybe some non-geocacher happened across it and took it, but most likely it was just hidden too well for me to find, or the point on the map was off, or the GPS was off.... I don't know.  But the point is, I couldn't find it and felt like I wasted my time.

I got back in my car, and turned on MonsterCache and saw that there was a troll a quarter mile away, so I went and found that right away, which made me happy.  Again, I know it is rewarding to find a hidden physical geocache after you look for it for a while, but I hope that others will agree with me that there's also a big advantage to finding the cache/Monster quickly and moving on to the next one!