ferretlady

OK - I made a mistake using a 30-mile limit, my apologies. I was simply doing a search with my home as a starting point, looking to see if any new caches had been placed recently and a 30 mile radius is the most it would give. The TrekTenTrails program *IS* indeed fantastic & I'm very grateful to the county for doing it! They didn't change out the locations this year, so a few of my finds for the 2016 game will be "repeat visits" - though that's perfectly OK. (I did double-check coordinates on about 5-6 of the 2016 TTT caches so far, they are the exact same location, not different trails within the previously-used parks) But yes, those do give me a good handful to go for & it is a wonderful program & I'm very glad we have it here. Interesting! I'll have to try a pocket query like that myself. - thank you! Of course, I've *heard* of Green Swamp, but I'm embarrassed to admit I've never been there - wow, the SWFWMD's site says that the Green Swamp encompasses 560,000 acres altogether, covering portions of five different counties, with 110,000 acres of that being owned/managed by SWFWMD. That's a hefty chunk of "swamp" (Yes, I know it's not all swampland.) I really do need to find more detailed info on exactly *where* to go, when, etc. I guess the WMA's have intimidated me just a teeny-tiny bit, not wanting to run into any issues during various hunting seasons - with so many different designated tracts comprising the overall "Green Swamp" - looking at the hunting schedule is just a wee bit confusing as dates are a bit different for each designated tract listed on the hunt schedule. I wouldn't want to start out in one place that was in a "no-hunting" period, and accidentally wander off into another tract that did have open hunting going on! LOL! But - ok - so that's probably just sheer stupidity on my part I guess...maybe that's not even possible? Chalk it up to a dumb older widow, who's still trying to get used to going out & doing things by myself - but that bit of trepidation w/ the hunting seasons on the WMA properties is primarily why I haven't visited any of the Green Swamp areas yet. I'm probably being leery for no good reason, I'm sure. The very first time I took off for a 7-8 mile hike through the woods by myself, or the very first time I went camping all alone, I was just a teeny-tiny bit nervous too. So I guess I need to just get more details about the WMA's re: their hunting seasons, how to avoid any potential issues in that regard & just GO! My prior 'caching buddy' is going to be moving to another part of the state, so I'm back to doing any of my outdoorsy things alone. Which is OK with me, it can be a wee bit tense at first though, when facing something that's different than what I'm used to, or has a different set of "precautions" to be taken, etc. So - yes, you're correct - there are a good many caches within 50-80 miles of my home. I don't know how many of these are somewhat recent, or are "older" caches that were placed some time back? I guess I just let myself get too discouraged when pulling up a periodic search for new caches , and seeing that so very few *new* caches were the sort I liked (larger caches in nice outdoorsy locations). It's not as if I'm living in the middle of Orlando, or some urban area where larger caches don't have lots of locations to be placed. (Again, I didn't search out as far as the Green Swamp area - so I apologize again for using something as limited as the 30-mile radius... perhaps there are more "good" new caches if I get away from my local area. I sincerely appreciate your input, Isonzo!

Exactly!! I love the swag aspect of geocaching! Not so much to grab things for myself, but I really enjoy leaving little goodies for others. When I do go geocaching, I always bring a bag full of assorted items, both (better) store-bought items & handmade items, in various sizes & for different ages, so that hopefully I'll be able to leave some things behind for the next people to find! And the couple of trackables I've found, I really enjoyed trying to decide where to place them, hoping I was choosing a good location to help them along their journey! And actual *log books*, not just a scrap of paper...I want to write just a little bit about my experience, and even as a visitor , I enjoy taking a look at the logs & reading those who took the time to actually *write* something more than "TFTC" and/or their initials. I wish there were more folks like you guys in my area! Using a 30-mile radius from my home, it seems that there is an average of one cache per month placed, that isn't a micro or "small" (and most of the 'smalls' around here are very small, too small for anything but a teensy log sheet) Probably half of the "regulars" that are placed are basically park-and-grabs. Pulling off the side of the road, rummaging in the hedges 8 feet away for a moment, then hopping back in my car to dash off to the next cache - that doesn't exactly strike me as much fun, even IF it is a larger cache. And what gets me is that there is a LOT of gorgeous countryside in my area, fantastic state parks, lots of hiking areas, woods, wide open spaces, etc where wonderful caches could be placed! The state park system is very open to caching & even has their own geotrail (and I totally enjoyed the few caches of theirs that I've found so far, that were within daytrip reach of my home). When I recently placed my first (and only) cache at one of the nearby state parks, they were thrilled that they were getting a nice new full-size cache out in their park! A couple of the rangers & one of the campground hosts went hunting for it not long after, after they got word it had been placed! LOL! The county parks here are very agreeable about caching too. Yet - over & over, it's drive-by park-and-grabs in boring locations, just some obscure bland side of the road that has some convenient bushes or trees within 15 feet, or right in the middle of town in someone's yard, etc. or at best, in a tiny urban park in the middle of town - again, where you can just park your car, run in & grab the cache, then be on your way with no time or effort expended. (Yawn) One cache I looked at recently is a good example -- it said it was located right off the intersection of (highway-A) and (highway-. It went on to say that a LOT of traffic went through that particular intersection every day, and so therefore, a spot off the side of the road by the intersection was "a perfect place for a cache!" HUH? I really wonder if people in my area are just out-right lazy... my caching buddy put an incredible cache out at the state park - but his cache is on one of the hiking trails & requires roughly a 3-mile round-trip hike (that's round-trip, not one way!) Flat easy terrain, good solid trail to walk on, *beautiful* scenery along the way...no issues other than the distance. The camp host & a ranger went after his during the first week it was out - and otherwise, no one has bothered. He has a fantastic large container, great location & it's a absolutely beautiful hike to the spot - not to mention that he spent probably at least $50 on filling it up with really nice swag... but no one wants to walk that "far" apparently... I'm really a newcomer to this, I originally registered on the site a few years ago, but then wasn't able to start caching until last spring. And I'm already starting to see my interest fade since it seems the type of caching I find truly enjoyable is extremely limited nowadays- and once I find the fairly small number of caches like that in my area, I'm pretty much done with the game, other than any time I might be able to make an overnight trip to a further location & going out once every 2 months or so, when/if a new cache is place. Gawd, how I wish I had been involved in the game years ago, from what I hear!!! I've been taking a break from caching at all lately, just so I can "ration out" the small handful of remaining "good" caches in my area. I don't want to run out & find them all within the next month or two, then not have any more caches worth looking for. I *tried* going out a couple time, after micros & "smalls" and such -- I *tried* to make myself get enthused about it, as I knew I'd "run out of caches" if I did continue to avoid those. BLAH... Locations were crummy, and I never even bothered signing the "log" on any of the ones I did find, why bother? Trying to scratch my name on a little scrap that looks like it came out of a paper shredder ... no thank you! No point in logging them online either, I'd prefer to just forget that I even bothered looking for them at all! The entire experience was a complete waste of time & so disheartening, to think *that's* what geocaching is amounting to, more & more these days. But I *tried* to get into it... bleh....just couldn't find any joy in those sort of caches... A somewhat interesting and/or scenic location, a container just large enough for me to leave some sort of nice little trinket (something better than a pencil mini-eraser! LOL!), and a log *book* not a paper-shredder scrap -- is that really SO much to ask for? It seems like it is too much to expect these days... at least around here...

It's great to be excited & want to hide your own caches, but perhaps remind yourself of the quote at the top of the geocache placement guidelines? "When you go to hide a geocache, think of the reason you are bringing people to that spot. If the only reason is for the geocache, then find a better spot." – briansnat" That's my feelings too -- if I wouldn't be at all enthused about hiking/biking/walking/driving to a place -- because the location all by itself had no true appeal at all, then why should I expect anyone else to be enthused about going there? To each their own, but I'm not making a trip out to a generic dead-end street, of no particular interest at all, just to add another number to my cache count. There are caches similar to that within easy walking distance of my home - and many more within 5-10 miles - and I'll never bother with them, but I'll happily plan an outing & drive for miles to go someplace potentially beautiful/interesting & find geocaches that take me somewhere worth seeing (or learning about,etc) Even if you live in a city, surely there are more interesting locations available to you.

Thank you for the information, everyone! Sigh - well, perhaps I'll keep an eye out for an inexpensive older model Ouch - I was wondering if that might be the way of things - that the individual games might be written only for smart phones now... I guess it wouldn't make much sense to get a different GPS, just so I can play Wherigo, if increasing number of the games won't run properly -- or if GPS usage is being gradually phased out... Sigh... oh well... Thank you so much for the replies!!!

Can anyone please tell me which GPS models still support Wherigo? I recently upgraded from an Etrex to an Oregon, and at first I thought it would work (based on what the Wherigo.com site said). I was quite disappointed to learn that only the older model Oregons will work. I'm even debating returning the Oregon if I can get another device that will support Wherigo, as it sounds like a lot of fun. I'm one of those archaic dinosaurs who does NOT have a smart phone, and no plans of getting one - I don't use a cell phone often enough to justify another monthly bill to pay. (I still have a 7-yr-old flip-phone that works perfectly & the $30 a year I spend for pay-as-you-go minutes suits my individual needs just fine - haha) I realize that the game is veering towards smartphone use - but surely some GPS's still support it? Or am I just out of luck?

+1 I like geocaching because it takes me places; it takes me places I might not otherwise go, shows me things I might not otherwise see, teaches me things I might not otherwise learn. The cache itself is a waypoint. Wow - I am glad to read the above statements, which sum up my own feelings pretty well! I've only got a couple months at the game, and I've wondered if I were somewhat of a geo-misfit for not feeling overly enthused about the "search" in & of itself. Caches in the middle of town, or micros, or "evil" caches that are exceedingly difficult to find have no appeal to me whatsoever - I want to be out in nature, see some beautiful new spot, hike a great trail, maybe learn something new, spot some wildlife, etc. and spend some time at the location just enjoying *being* there - not simply dash in, grab the cache & then run down the highway to the next cache. I know I'm limiting my geocaching a lot because of being "picky" about which caches I want to look for but so be it. I'm loving the game as I play it, I'm loving the hikes for caches that I do go for & look forward to discovering more nature preserves, little-known parks or woods, etc because of geocaching. I wish I'd gotten involved years ago, when ammo cans in the woods were the mainstay of geocaching - I love the bigger caches! I enjoy all the aspects mentioned above, and love trying to leave some nice swag for the next person too! I was leaving little handmade crochet stuffed animals initially (I need to make more!!) & I got a huge "warm fuzzy" when I read a later log where the finder specifically mentioned getting one of my critters & how much she liked it!! :)

Hi again, I just wanted to post a follow-up, after trying my new eTrex 10 out a few times! When it first arrived, I walked around my neighborhood a little bit, trying to get a feel for how it worked. It was still a bit confusing at that point, and I was worried that I'd possible made a mistake. But after a bit of trial & error, I got things figured out (at least a most basic level...) I was camping at a local state park this past week with a friend, and there were a few caches out there. It was a *blast* using the GPS to find them!! No, I didn't have a nice tidy map, telling me a precise trail to follow, but I think that actually made it a little bit more fun! (OK, call me weird, if you wish...) For example, we'd been hiking one afternoon off-trail in a more remote area of the park, then decided to look for one of the caches that was supposed to be about half a mile away in that overall section of the park. We set off in the direction the GPS told us to go. Several times, our path was blocked (lengthy palmetto thickets, a pond, etc), and we had to work our way around the obstacles, then find our way to get back on track towards the cache. We weren't 'bushwhacking' or anything at all destructive, just wandering through the woods off of the "regular trails". We got a laugh out of it, when we finally *did* find that cache, we saw that it was not far off of a firebreak that we could have possibly followed from our original starting point, although that would have actually taken us longer, as it looped out further along the way. I had marked waypoints at various "obvious" landmarks in the park, so we could get a fairly good idea of what trails the other few caches were close to. My camping buddy is wanting to start geocaching now! He really enjoyed our hikes to the locations, and looking for the caches once we were close. We found all but one, which appears that it may have gotten disrupted or buried by a lot of recent wild hog digs right where it was supposed to be. We returned to that place & tried to find it several times during our camping trip, but no luck. Anyway - I just wanted to thank you all again - and let you know how things have turned out so far. Perhaps I'll upgrade someday, but I am having a great time with my 10 right now! I honestly don't think I would have enjoyed it *quite* as much, if a map had told me exactly where to go, what to avoid, etc! I guess I'm one of those who really enjoys the "journey" even more than reaching the destination! Anyway, we had SO MUCH FUN!!!! :D :) :)

Wow - Chief - thank you for all the details! That is a big help!!! I saw the "MyTrails" map out there - that one looks like it would be really nice! But, durn it -- my car battery went dead, so that's kinda forced the decision for me. (I guess I can't complain too much, as the old battery was over 7 years old...) But still... bad timing!!! Buying a new battery kinda puts a crimp in the budget! I had a $60 GC for Cabela's that was about to expire - I dug up some coupon codes, and they had the 10 on sale -- so I ended up ordering the Etrex 10 & a new double-height airbed for camping, for about $40 total out of pocket, free shipping. I guess I can live with that for now My old airbed had bit the dust on my last camping trip, and this old gal can't quite sleep on the hard ground in a sleeping bag any longer LOL! I love tent camping & keeping things basic & simple - but I do need to sleep well at night! LOL! After reading more about the maps, I'd have probably gone with the 20 -- but with the car problem, I just didn't have the extra money right now - and I didn't want to lose the gift certificate amount. I've seen used 10's go for around $50 on Ebay, so further down the road, when I'm ready to upgrade, I can hopefully get some $$ back on the 10. But I think I will still have fun with the 10 for the time being, even without the maps. I love wandering around in the woods, so if I have to hike further, backtrack a bit, etc - that wouldn't really bother me. It's the journey, not the destination! (That "MyTrails" map set does look like it would be really fantastic though!) But at least, I'll have something to play with for now, that didn't put me in a $$ bind, until I can save up for the 20. After I've used it a while, I'll report back & let you know what I think! **THANK YOU SO MUCH** for all the help! Even if I couldn't get the 20 right now, it IS now most definitely on my "wish list" for the future!!!

Whew.... ok, I'm back to undecided again... Let me see if I have any understanding about how the maps would aid me... OK - with the most basic GPS (the 10), after putting in the coordinates for the cache, it would basically set a direct-straight-line to those coordinates. I'd know which general direction to go in, but wouldn't have any visual aid to help me find the most appropriate way of getting to the destination coordinates? I'd have to decide which trail to go on, to try to get to that location. *IF* there were several trails or paths going in that general direction, I *might* possibly end up having to backtrack & take a different trail to end up in the right spot? Or - I could possibly end up hitting a 'dead end' by a river or marsh or something, and again, having to go back & take a different trail? Am I at all correct, in understanding what the limitations/"problems" that I might encounter, if I did NOT have maps? Whereas, if I DID have maps (bought the 20), they would possibly show the correct trail to take (if there were detailed maps of that particular park/preserve), the map would help me avoid any "obstacles" along the way, etc? I'd have the correct route laid out for me & could follow the map, rather than possibly having to just guess which trail/path to take? Is that more or less the benefits of having maps over not having them? Please pardon my ignorance, if I'm way off-base here... Thank you again for helping a newbie get a good grasp on this. Sorry to be asking so many questions!

Thanks so much for all the help, everyone!! It's much appreciated! Chief301, yes, I understand that I will need to load the data on the GPS before I go out - but thank you for pointing that out! I usually have some preparation anyway - whether it's simply packing a lunch & plenty of water for spending the day, or tossing my tent & other gear in the car to spend a few nights camping. So, taking a few moments to get the information about any caches located at my destination prior to leaving home won't be a problem! I'm thinking that the Etrex10 would likely suit my personal needs OK for a good while. Right now, I have such a long list of state parks that I want to visit and/or camp at -- I think that will keep me busy for a long time, and the basic GPS will work fine for those circumstances, I think. Ha - I'm sort of a "basic & simple, no-frills" gal, so I guess a basic simple GPS will do for now! **Thank you** again, all of you, for your help!!

Thank you very much for the reply, Coman! Yes, I understand that the 20 has additional features - I'm just unsure whether I need those extras or not, or would end up using them? I suppose the maps are the one thing I'm most unclear on. Exactly how do the topographical maps end up helping? Please pardon my extreme ignorance here... For example - if I'm out at Lake Louisa State Park, for example - the GPS maps probably don't show the exact hiking trails out there? (And the parks generally have trail maps, if I *really* needed one?) Again - please excuse me for being so ignorant here. I've tried to read up on many different units & compare them, and get some general information ... but the topographical mapping feature is one item that I still don't quite understand the true benefit of, at least for myself? As far as memory/storage capacity - I'd likely only be loading a few caches at a time, for whatever park / nature preserve/ etc that I was going to spend the day at, so I don't *think* memory/storage would be an issue for me? I'm just trying to decide what I personally would actually use, for the way that I would be using a GPS... the extra features in the "better" units do sound nice - but if I wouldn't actually be making use of them, then?? Or would the topographical maps really benefit me, the way I'll be doing things? Thank you again for your help, and again, sorry to be dumb! I have looked at a lot of articles, but it's mostly the mapping feature that I'm still not clear about... that is, precisely how it would (or would not) be of use to me, or not...

Hi everyone, I have just started geocaching, I don't yet have a GPS (nor do I have a smartphone) I did a few caches at one of my favorite nature trails, where they had given written instructions to the general location of the cache. I realize that the general recommendation is to get the Etrex 20 instead of the 10 -- but I am wondering if the 10 will be fine for my specific use? I suppose you could say that my way of getting out is a bit backwards from some. Instead of going out to find a cache, and discovering a pretty new trail in the process -- I plan to go out to state parks, nature preserves, etc just to get out in nature, and THEN, while I'm there, if there is a cache to be found at that location, that only adds to the enjoyment! We have so many beautiful state parks & nature areas here in FL, it will take me forever to visit all the places I want to see! Going to the park/trail/etc is my primary goal, whether for a day trip or for tent camping several days - with geocaching being a possible fun sideline activity I can enjoy while I'm already there at that park (trail/etc). I have no interest at all in "city" or "street" caches, the tiny 'nano' caches, etc, or trying to log as many caches as possible as quickly as possible... don't get me wrong - there's no problem with that at all for those who like to do that, but it's not what *I* personally want to do. I really love the idea of the large caches (ammo cans or such), where I can leave behind some nice goodies for the next person! That's a big part of the appeal for me, too. So - under these circumstances, would the Etrex 10 be sufficient for me? I'm on a very tight fixed income so I'm hesitant about spending $200 (or more) on a GPS that quite possibly has features I'd rarely or never use? Thank you so much for any advice or insights you could give me!