FolsomNatural

Welcome to the hobby! Beware - it can be addicting. Start off at the Guide page: Guide

First Aid kit! And a flare gun to call for help when you get in over your head.

My own "Soggy Boot" adventure. Not that funny, but I need the sympathy. From: Soggy Boot Ah, my first "Soggy Foot" find! Nothing like trekking through the woods with one wet foot - too bad the incident happened while going INTO the search, instead of coming out - that way I trudged 3/4 mile with the squishy boot instead of 1/4 mile. My only consolation was thinking if I get bit by a snake, he would get more mud than blood from me. It seems you have to jump across a little creek to get to the path, and some muggle (at least I THINK it was a muggle) planted a stick in the mud on the far bank: the stick looked like a well-rooted tree that an old fool thought he could use as an anchor for the jump. But the stick gave way and I ALMOST landed face first in the water. Oh, well: KARMA will get the SOB! Anyway - NICE find, beautiful area. Saw the White House. I was so grateful for being alive that I left a nice gift in a Chivas Regal bag (CLUE: NOT Chivas Regal). Signed the log and took a really cute plastic nickel. Ah, the Wet Boot episode was a real adventure, but I just KNOW, some day when they find my battered body in the woods somewhere, that all my Geo-caching friends will come to visit my grave and there adorn it with a truck-load of Happy Meal toys.

Great responses. BIG THANKS. No, I would never remove a log, but I WOULD insert a clean blank one when I see something really soggy or damaged. Wow! EelKat - - you've taken this idea to new heights! Way to go. Such creative people in this hobby

Ohh, we got off to a good start. It'll be hard to top the diaper bomb story.

What is the funniest or most unusual log posting you've come across? Insert quote, link, or reference.

This site returns the coordinates for any place on earth. http://gmaps-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/geocoder/singlegeocode.html

After encountering way too many soggy and deteriorating log books, I was wondering if, instead of complaining to the owner, if it would be advisable to simply leave one of my own blank log sheets in the cache, covered with a zip-lock bag. I made up several different sized versions of logs on acid free paper (in preparation for my own caches) and thought "Wouldn't it be great to drop a dry one off to the soggy caches?" But then again, maybe that's the provenance of the cache owner - who might be insulted by my efforts to "help." Any thoughts on the matter?

Great List! Thanks. I posted my own in "Getting Started" but it was not as comprehensive. Quoting: 5. Prepare for any contingency by bringing along what I call a “cache-pack.” This is a carry-bag or knapsack that includes: • prizes of different sizes, as you don’t know what will fit in any given cache • pens, pencils, and note pad • water bottle • camera • GPS unit • extra batteries • compass • hand wipe • cell phone

Musing of a Newbie: This might help. Learn from my errors. I’ve been into the sport of geo-caching for less than a month now, and I’ve learned a few things that might help YOU avoid the mistakes I made starting out. 1. I thought I’d like geo-caching - - I never thought I’d LOVE it and become obsessed. It has successfully pried me off the couch and into the outdoors. If anything, I have to watch the “Difficulty” ratings, because as a Senior Citizen, I tend to forget my physical limits, and find myself getting into trouble. After facing bugs, snakes, and branch-in-the-eye hazards, I’m thinking of petitioning for the institution of an “OLS” (Old Lady Safe) rating for all posted caches. In the first week I found myself scaling a stone wall, trekking up a 45-degree trail, and hiking almost a mile with one soggy boot after falling into a creek. But I loved every minute of it. (See the log for “White House” in Granite Bay, California, code GC2G5KZ, if you are interested.) 2. There are many varied aspects and sub-categories for geo-caching, but this website (geocaching.com) is an EXCELLENT resource with very helpful pages and references. It pays to read the log entries from previous visitors. It is important to watch the difficulty ratings and the cache sizes when choosing a target. I began with traditional caches of relatively large size. The “ammo box” cache is a great way to start. You best start is the Guide page; http://www.geocaching.com/guide/default.aspx. 3. GPS equipment can be tricky. And confusing. You can use the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) device in your car, and some smart phones have a GPS function, but most hobbyists opt for a hand-held unit made specifically for geo-caching. The tricky and confusing part is getting the unit to function properly. Manufacturers often provide only the most basic maps, and then expect you to spend over $100 to get the latest, detailed Topo maps. Next, you have to have special software to pick out and load those portions of the total database that include your local search areas. You also need to download and install software that will load cache location data from a website to your GPS device. (See http://www.geocaching.com/software/default.aspx.) 4. At first, I was disappointed at the (lack of) quality of the contents of some caches. I quickly learned, however, that the prizes are not what the hobby is all about. It’s the adventure. Besides, I find it a real pleasure to upgrade a lagging cache by adding my own valuable items and taking away some of the junk. Like giving at Christmas, you can imagine the eyes of a child lighting up when they discover some really cool gifts you left behind. To that end I’ve taken to shopping in thrift stores, bargain bins, and stores that sell one-dollar items. You can also find great values by buying in bulk on the internet. A navigation compass, for example, might cost $10 retail, but you can buy two dozen of them for less than a dollar each at an auction site. 5. Prepare for any contingency by bringing along what I call a “cache-pack.” This is a carry-bag or knapsack that includes: • prizes of different sizes, as you don’t know what will fit in any given cache • pens, pencils, and note pad • water bottle • camera • GPS unit • extra batteries • compass • hand wipe • cell phone 6. Add to your pleasure by learning about some of the variations of geo-caching, such as multiple caches, trackable items, and Earthcaches. Again, see the Guide page; http://www.geocaching.com/guide/default.aspx. 7. If you park your car at a trail head, be sure to log your starting location onto your GPS unit (as a waypoint) so you can find your way back! I hope that helps! Vince “FolsomNatural”

More than "just a thought" - it's a genuine concern and shows, like most of us, that you care for the environment. The Guidelines to submitting a cache DO in fact address the need for choosing a site that will not result in damage to the environment. I am new, too, to this hobby, so I am still learning about the rules and etiquette involved, but I would guess it's appropriate to raise the question with the cache owner, and perhaps they could relocate the cache.

"They hire people . . ." !!?? Wow, really? There is a vast community full of people with graphic talents (I'm not one of the talented ones) who would be eager to donate their work on behalf of their community. I suspect there are guidelines, however, such as size, scalability, and content, that Groundspeak would want to specify. I'm happy though with just posting to the cache gallery. THANKS, Kunarian, for the great ideas! :D

Thanks for the feedback, Coldgears . . . The photo is shown in the gallery for "Prison Values" in Folsom, California, and it's posted at: http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc473/UncleVinnys/FSouvf.jpg

I read the blurb on souvenirs, but it doesn't tell you how to post a souvenir. I need to know if there are size restrictions, etc. I posted one at "Prison Values" in Folsom.

Thanks for the reply, Safe. I found that Magellan no longer supports the software. So, I returned mine a bought a Garmin unit. You can figure out how to work around the software issues by reading the forums you mentioned. I found it too complicated and frustrating for my level of patience and not having a Ph.D. in computer science. The good news is you CAN get out into the field with the 400, but there are several interim steps required to get up to speed. The big problem is getting the bundled software onto the Triton, and this takes downloading, installing, and running programs I am not familiar with. "But wait! Before you do that, you have to do this . . ." and that occurs for about 7 levels deep. With the maturity of a 5-year old, I gave up early in the game, and switched to device that is as close to plug-and-play that you can get. Good luck, and keep us informed of your progress.

Found my first cache today. I'm hooked! Going to Europe later this month. Is it OK to search for a trackable and bring it with me, and hide it in Europe, or should we keep things in the US of A?

Great feedback. Thanks to all.

Just bought the Triton 400 and cannot get going on it. It has a very PRIMITIVE map installed. I tried to install the included TOPO! Explorer. I can access the maps on the TOPO page, but cannot get them into the Triton memory. I get a "Need 64 bit DPInst.exe" error message. I cannot find DPInst.exe anywhere - they say it's outdated!!!! The "Connected" icon appears for Vantage Point but not for TOPO. Any help appreciated. I am ready to bring it back to the store and start over.

I don't get the coordinates system. I look up coordinates using a site on Google: http://gmaps-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/geocoder/singlegeocode.html and the coordinates are WAY different from what I see posted on the caches page. For example, a cache by my house is defined as 38' 41.316 121' 08.532 but the Google mapper indicates it's 38.693650, -121.142378 Errrr . . . wait a minute! I think I get it. Is one using minutes and seconds and the other using all decimals?? I'm so confused!!