pirateRACE

I've only been doing this since June... but I was just thinking the same thing!

As a newb, I'm really enjoying this thread. I've got a question though. I know FTF prizes are typical. I'm assuming that quite a few of these nice finds weren't FTF prizes though. I thought you are always supposed to trade up. If you find something worth $50 in a cache are you leaving something of the same value or is this just kinda outta the typical realm of trading items (like an exception to the rule)?

Welcome... I just started off about a month ago and it doesn't take long to get hooked. The forums are a great place to learn and ask questions. Everyone is really helpful.

Me and my wife usually cache with our young kids but this weekend we will be doing our first outing by ourselves (got a sitter!). We are looking for some good spots in NE Ohio to hit that have nice trails and lots of caches! We are just starting out (only caching a month or so), so we aren't looking for any 4 or 5 terrains or anything. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I work in video production and like to help others in the industry out... We are looking to place our first cache soon and we were thinking of having a "movie" theme. I'm in the Cleveland area. Let me know if I can help and good luck with the flick.

It's not that it isn't good, but if it doesn't have the "H" like the HC or HCx style, then it does not have the new Garmin "high-sensitivity" receiver. I don't know exactly the tech spec differences, but i know the "H" models are better under tree coverage and probably get you a lot closer to your cache. I don't know what a Legend Cx costs, but H models start at $80 or so.

I have done several KID CACHES. Some of the themes are Disney Princesses, Hannah Montana, Love the Earth, Cars & Trucks, Icky Sticky Bugs, Girl Power, High School Musical, Hello Kitty, Tinkerbell, Spiderman, Halloween, etc. We go to the dollar store and they always have themed items for these type caches. Cute little notebooks, pencils, sharpeners, stickers, etc. All the titles begin with "KID CACHE" so cachers are prepared. So far, ours have gotten good reviews. And the cachers without kids still search for them! I'd say go for it!! HEY KIDS! Ready for a road trip!?!? Wisconsin, here we come!! That sounds like a great idea. I think that geocaching is a great family activity and one of the few that every family member enjoys. We have yet to place a cache, but when we do, we will have other kids in mind. My daughter is just starting to appreciate the search as much as the find...

Then go for the Venture HC or the Legend H. Make sure the H is in the name because the older Ventures and Legends do not have the high sensitivity receiver and you'd be right back to where you are with your current unit. I concur. I just started off and wanted a durable, low cost GPS for caching and bought the Venture HC on Amazon for $130 and it was well worth it. If you are a premium member (which i recommend too!), then you can send a nice pocket query to the device with ease. The only negative for me is the lack of space. Additional maps take up space and the Venture doesn't have a card slot like the Vista or Legend (both of which are $60-$90 more expensive). But you can still fit enough for a 50 mile radius...

I used eTrex Venture HC on an Intel iMac with no problems. Used Garmin apps available here: http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/ Good luck!

Congrats on the find... I spent a good 30 minutes wandering around holding out my iPhone in the park before I figured out what we were even doing! We had a few DNFs on our first day out. We've only been doing it a couple weeks, but it's amazing how much easier it is after the first dozen or so. You really start to get your "geo-senses". We still have a long ways to go though!

I've done without landscape for so long (thanks Apple) that I am completely used to portrait typing... I actually hate how it switches between the two in text/email mode! But I do see how it could be beneficial to the masses.

Hey Ohioans! Northern Summit County, here.

Duh. Great idea! Thanks... and we hope to keep our list short too!

I may be asking too much, but.... Is there any way on the site or maybe through Pocket Queries to get a list of DNFs that you still haven't found. I see that you can list all DNF entries, but it includes the logs for DNFs that I have since found. We are just starting out and have only had 5 or so DNFs but we went back to find most of them. I'd imagine after a year or two, it would be possible to have a long list of DNFs. What's the easiest way to see those stumpers without listing those you've found? Thanks in advance!

Congrats! We just found a proposal cache yesterday. It was kinda cool to read that first log entry from moments after she was proposed to. Good thing you didn't listen to all the nay-sayers!

Awesome thread... and here I was just gonna buy some generic swag! :walking to the thinktank:

HA! That's great! I'm new to the game, but I can see how there is some fun in being FTF. I see a lot of cache's that list the FTF in the description. You kinda get immortalized with the cache. If the timings good and there one is nearby, I might try, but it's not my priority (yet).

I can echo what everyone else has said and agree that it would be a good idea. My 4 year old is getting sick of us finding micros (no "treasure") in parks without playgrounds! It would be nice to know when browsing caches...

I attempted to dry this particular one out, but was afraid of ruining it if I even attempted to unroll it. Plus the cache container may need to be swapped out if it's letting the log get that wet. We're just starting out... I think a "maintenance kit" would be a good thing to carry in our geo-pack from now on, though.

Thanks for the quick help! Will add "found it" entry.

I found a cache today whose log book was soaked beyond repair. I logged it as a "Needs Maintenance" but I don't think the system counts it as a "find". Should I enter a "Found it" log entry right after that? Thanks!

Great! Thanks for the help. So I got that Ohio map set, but it's 166 MBs... so does that mean I can't use it with a Venture since it only has 24 MB of internal storage??

Just started caching this week with the iPhone. It works well enough, but I think a true GPSr as a companion would be a great match. We think we've narrowed it down to the Garmin eTrex Venture HC (unless we find a good deal on the Vista HCx). I've heard the "base maps" aren't any good. What exactly do base maps give you? There are so many options online for additional maps. I will use the device for probably pure geocaching. I don't want to find my way to a Super 8 Motel... just to tupperware in the woods! Is the 2008 TOPO Maps from Garmin what I should get? Will it give me much more then the satellite images I get from the iPhone? Lastly, with the Venture, I believe I'm limited with space... how much maps can I add with it's storage. Thanks in advance to any and all those who wanna help me and my fam out! Cheers!