DavisAim855

They're pretty rugged. I don't know if I'd throw it in a pool, but it can certainly get wet from the rain. The Geocaching store on this site has several, but there are TONS more out there to check out. Some are geared more toward geocaching specifically than others. My husband is in the Army, so he *tried* to show me how to use them, but I'm not good with being taught. I just grabbed his and started pushing buttons until I figured it out. Now he's ticked that I know how to use pocket queries and he can't figure it out. Hahahaha.....I just recently got my own, the Garmin Oregon 550, and I'm LOVING IT. There are much less expensive options, though, that are just as user friendly. My husband uses the Garmin 60CSx which is the one I learned to use first. It's great now that we both have our own because now it's more like a contest. As soon as the car is in park, it's every man for himself! It's funny when I'm able to duck and run under the thorns (I'm only 4'6") and he's stuck behind me bushwacking and cussing....I WIN! Anyway, I got off the subject. Yes, GPSr's are very rugged and definitely built for this sort of activity, and there are MANY that are specifically made for geocaching and are very user friendly. Just shop around and when looking at reviews, remember that everyone is looking for something different from their GPS, so take it with a grain of salt.

I just got me a fancy new Oregon 550. Pricey, but sweet. It's supports paperless caching and is great for girls who like colorful touchscreen buttons and "you'd have to be an idiot not to be able to figure this thing out" type of interface. My husband has the 60CSx, which I've also used. The compass on the Oregon seems a little more sluggish compared to the 60CSx, but the Oregon gives me the whole cache description, the last 4 or 5 logs, the hint, etc., so no more printing out endless reams of paper and flipping through that infernal 3-ring binder I used. As far as accuracy, they both seem about the same and are both pretty much dead on- but then again, the cords are only as accurate as the cache owner, so take it with a grain of salt. We also have an old Etrex we never use, but it doesn't even begin to compare to the Oregon or the 60CSx- might as well be on different planets.

I've never added one at a time, but mine show up in order beginning with the closest one to my current location. So, while I travel, they change order based on which ever one is closest. I can click on an individual cache name and I get the description, difficulty level, the last 4 or 5 logs, and the hint. I've only cached with my Oregon the past 2 days. I just got it. So far, it has been very accurate, although the compass is a little more sluggish than my husband's 60CSx. All in all, though, I love it so far.

I concur. I'm using an Oregon 550 and by generating a pocket query, I put 500 caches within a certain mile radius from my home on my GPS in all of 30 seconds. You can do the same if you travel, generate a pocket query with a certain number of caches based on your zip code or current cords, and cache til you drop. It's like *magic*

That's an incredibly nice thing to say

Can I use that as a FB status!? That's great! I too am new. I'm disabled and it's nice to have something I can get out and do easily without adding injury to myself (most of the caches I find are in city limits) Ha, I already did add this as a Facebook status!! But you can, too! I can't take credit for it!! Unfortunately, I'm not THAT clever. http://www.motivatedphotos.com/?id=60548

I love anything clever and well-hidden, even if that means getting a little (or a lot) scratched and bruised. The only ones I have a problem with are ones in questionable parts of town or under bridges with obviously dangerous/gang-related grafitti. Anything else, even the "light pole skirts," I'm totally up for. That's the game!

If you look in the personal hygiene/medicine section at wal-mart you can find containers called "pill fobs" that are much more sturdy. They're only a buck fifty or so. You can even paint them.

First thing's first- Welcome to geocaching. I've actually been a member since 2007, but never really did any caching until just the past month or so. We have two teenage boys and are probably the only homeschooling family on the planet whose kids are totally NOT interested in geocaching LOL. So, it's turned into something my husband and I have avidly dived into. We hid our first cache a week or so ago and have a mystery cache series in the works. I've always been really big about fitness, but hit a plateau that geocaching has just completely obliterated! And I just got my very own Garmin Oregon 550 today and have been playing with it all afternoon. Anyway, secondly, I know where you're coming from with the single mom/hermit in front of the computer thing. My husband is also in the military, so I do go through periods of time where it's just me and the boys. It's lonely. It's exhausting. It's all-consuming. I totally get it. That leads me to what I really wanted to say. You mentioned wanting to document all of this and I HIGHLY recommend starting a blog. It is BEYOND therapeutic, lemme tell ya! There is a whole community of folks out there supporting each other with blogging. I haven't gotten around to writing about my new-found passion yet, but am planning an article about our mystery series once we have it better put together. I'm not sure what kind of links are allowed on the message board, but you can check me out at www.pleasantlydemented.com And welcome to the "using multimillion dollar satellite equipment to find tupperware in the woods" addiction!

I might be using the term "muggled" wrong, then. We found the cache container where it was supposed to be (official geocaching sticker labeled with the GC code), but it was lying opened and empty. It was in a spot where I KNOW muggles of questionable character hang out frequently (underneath a bridge with gang graffiti and a burnt-out fire pit), so I'm sure they were either just vandalizing it or looking for something of value. I logged a Needs Maintenance for it but not as a Find. I also logged the soaking wet cache as a Needs Maintenance but not as a Find. If the CO wants to replace or repair the caches, I'll go back and sign.

I definitely added a Needs Maintenance log to both the muggled cache and the wet cache, but wasn't sure if I should log them as a find or not. Husband is logging them as found, but I just wasn't sure. I have added temp logs to caches whose logs were full, so I don't know why I didn't think about adding one to the damaged caches, but I'll definitely know for next time.

Thanks! I don't know why I didn't think of the extra log idea. Still trying to get used to everything

What is the proper etiquette for logging caches you find but are unable to sign the log for because they were either muggled or soaking wet? It's my personal feeling that I would rather log it as "needs maintenance" and not as a find because I was not able to sign the log. If the CO resolves the issues, I'll go back, sign, and log it as a find. What does everyone else do? I'm kinda new at this, so I'm not really sure about the etiquette here. Thanks for any help.