Rubiconlwb

I have experienced what you are taking about but only when there was either no road or street to the cache I was looking for or the highway was the closest roadway. In those instances I just recalculate and tell it not to follow the road and I follow the bearing when I get that close. This just seems to me to be an issue that will always be present and which may not be solvable. I am very impressed with this software and it does exactly what I want it to do.

As I said in my previous post, I do like the 60C because of more memory, USB connection, color screen and autorouting. This unit really began to shine when I got the proper software, City Select North America V6.

I had a question a couple months ago about the compatibility of MetroGuide NA with a Garmin GPSmap 60C (I was looking into upgrading). The Garmin site says that this software is not compatible with the 60C. I decided after much pondering to purchase the 60C and I really like it and it is a much more usable unit than my old Vista. I was able to load the MetroGuide software on my 60C and use it for geocaching but it would not route correctly. I then decided to purchase the City Select software which was recommended. I bought the software off of E-bay and thought it was going to be my first rip-off in over 200 transactions (it took me over a month, negative feedback, 5 or 6 e-mails and finally a couple phone calles to get the software). But once I received the new software, I found out that it makes this GPSr sing! Not only can you do turn-by-turn routing on your computer and upload it to the GPSr but you can routing on the unit! This is just awesome! It tells you well in advance when a turn is coming and zooms into the area when you get close. So the advice is, you can use MetroGuide with the GPSmap 60C but I recommend City Select.

I'm glad I read this thread as I have a webpage on my website ( http://www.imrubicon.com/geocache.htm ) and did not realize some of the legal requirements. I knew that I could use the logo for a non-commercial site but I didn't realize I had to link back to geocaching.com nor that I had to put the language about using the logo with permission. I updated this page tonight so it not only looks nice with the logo but also conforms to the legal requirements. I'm always learning something on this forum. Thanks for the question and the answer as well!

I just wanted to add my two cents worth on the idea of children geocaching. We do it all the time but our case is a little different than I have read in this thread. We geocache with our grand daughter and she loves it. She and I have placed 4 different caches and she calls them 'our' caches... she now has ownership as well. I am thinking of upgrading from my Garmin Vista to a Garmin 60C and the Vista may go to her. Her favorite caches are ones that have an associated hike, so much so that even the ones with no hikes, we have to take a walk anyway (it's good for overweight Papas!). We went to a cache once that had picnic tables and since we had a lunch along, we sat there and ate and looked through the cache for 'goodies'. She still thinks every cache, we have to find a picnic table and eat lunch. What memories I have and always will have!

Thanks for the comments! I will look into the 60c and see what I think. The only information that I have on the MetroGuide not being compatible is in the compatibility chart that is shown on the Garmin site. If you select the Vista C, the MetroGuide is not listed. I also found GPSnow.com as they had the cheapest price for the Vista C and I wrote to them asking these same questions. They told me that the recommended software for the Vista C is CitySelect. They were not sure if I could use MetroGuide with the Vista C for sure. If I do decide to buy a new GPS, it will probably be with GPSnow.com. As I understand it, the form factor for the Vista C is enough different from the Vista that you have to buy new cases, mounts, power adapters. I already have all that stuff for my current Vista (neoprene case, suction mount, hard mount, bike mount, home power adapter, car adapter, data cable). That fact added to the new GPS and new software will run into some real money and since my current GPS works just fine, I'm thinking I would be a fool to upgrade now. Maybe when I HAVE to, would be a better idea. Thanks for the feedback!

Brace yourself for the addiction! If you are intrigued enough to purchase the GPS, you will fall head over heals for this aversion! Do yourself a favor, get your family involved if you possibly can. My Grand-Daughter is as hooked as her 'PaPa' and we have the most fun together. Nothing better for a bonding experience than when Grandma and Grandpa and 6-year-old go geocaching. We usually have to take a lunch and we ALWAYS have to go for a walk, whether the cache is 100 feet away or a mile away! Welcome!

I own a Garmin E-trex Vista and have used it extensively for the two years I've had it. I use MetroGuide North America Ver 6.0 (upgraded from Ver 4.5) and the combination is perfect for what I do. I get driving directions, I check my speed on the highway and obviously, I geocache. I have been looking at the new Vista C (the color version) and it looks very nice. It seems it would be easier to read and has some added features that I would love to have. Problem? From what I have read my MetroGuide will not work on this unit. So not only do I have to upgrade the GPS but I have to upgrade the software. For those of you who have the 'C', would it be worth the money to upgrade to it and then purchase new software? If so, what software should I use that would be comparable to the MetroGuide?

Thanks for the pointers, that is exactly the information I needed. I will play with it a little to get used to how it is done. I knew the forums would get me on the right track. Either this info is not in the manual or I was just missing it 'cause I've looked for this several different times and I have played with the unit and could not discover this on my own. Thanks again!!!

I have had my Garmin E-Trex Vista for a little over 3 years and have used it not only for Geocaching (the past year) but also for routing to destinations and on vacation, that sort of thing. I love it and use it a lot but have never come across how I can input coordinates manually. I normally just download the coordinates from the site and go but on those finds where you have to plug in values to come up with new coordinates, I have had to just walk in the direction I need to and watch the changing coordinates until I get to where I need to. It would be much easier to just input the new coordinates and do a 'Go To'. Any suggestions?

I have only been geocaching for about 10 months now so I'm not done yet but I have a bag which I carry with me. Over those 10 months, I have added items which have come in very handy. Doing it this way, all I have to do is throw in a fresh set of batteries and I have everything I need. The bag I started with is a soft-sided attache style bag but I am think very seriously of moving to a daypack. As it is now, I have to carry the bag by the handle and I think a pack might be easier to carry. Below is a list of what I carry. Do you also carry a bag? If so, what type and what do you have in it? I'm interested in seeing what others do. Notebook with scratch paper Pen & Pencil Geocaching printouts Digital camera & extra memory card Extra NiMH batteries Binoculars Trinkets for trading GPS (of course!) Zip-lock bags Blank log book (in case the one I find is full) Sunglasses

Thanks fellow cachers, all these suggestions have helped. I will most likely create a traditional cache at that location and hopefully will get it approved that way. I guess I didn't read the guidelines as well as I thought and maybe I took this disapproval too personally at first. I have written the reviewer several e-mails and he has been very cordial and has tried to guide me which is appreciated. As I stated, I am new at geocaching and VERY new at creating my own geocaches (I have one which has been approved and existed for a couple months now but only one person has made the find). I have ideas for several more and everything I learn along the way will make the hobby more fun and more challenging. I appreciate you suggestions and guidance.

Ya, I'm sure you are right and basically that's what the reviewer said but that fact needs to be made much clearer in the the guidelines. I read them several times and from my perspective this cache fit well within the current guidelines. I think the thing that set me off was the statement that a 'hike' of some sort should be involved and that would almost surely leave out anybody in a wheelchair. I realize that the reviewers have to do as they are instructed but this seems a little nit-picky to me at the time. I asked if it might be approved if I converted it to a traditional cache but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. I'll know the restriction now and won't bother with virtuals in the future. Thanks for the comments!

I too am fairly new to geocaching but I have found it to be a very addictive hobby, as everybody else has. I was lucky in finding most of my first caches but there are some that evade and those are the ones that you keep in the back of your mind, determined to go back and find them the next time (feeding the addiction?). At any rate, I love this hobby and I have even gotten my wife and grand-daughter involved so we usually make a family day of it, another attraction to this hobby. Enjoy!

I recently submitted a virtual cache which is a historical marker alongside a secondary highway here in Wyoming. It marks the spot where the Oregon trail crosses this highway and indicates the crossing of the Platte River is 9 miles to the west of that location. I have been to several virtual caches which were basically identical to this cache except for, of course, the location. Mine was disapproved and I was told the reason was because a cache should be one where a 'hike' is involved and that virtual caches can only be approved if they have some 'significance' about them. If these criteria have always been in place, how have the others been approved? I specifically wanted this to be an easy cache so it could be accessible all year round and handicapped people could enjoy it as well. This marker is not only of historical significance but also of scenic significance as one has a beautiful view of several 12,000 to 14,000 elevation peaks from it's location. I was bewildered as to why this cache was archived and I attempted on a couple occasions to get the reviewer to at least give me a compelling reason. I was turned down each time. I personally feel it is a case of a reviewer taking himself way to seriously and who is far too anal. Any ideas?