Going Out W/o The Cache Description

[+geognerd]

I know some folks sometimes go out in the field, simply downloading cache coordinates to their GPS. Maybe they want to make the search tougher not knowing the size of the cache or any of the descriptors. I would never do such a thing as there can be crucial info in the description. For example, the posted coordinates for my puzzle cache lead only to parking for the cache. Some research has to be done to get its final coordinates before heading out to posted coords. If the cacher never looked at the cache's description, they'd never know this and thus cannot find the cache. Why do some geocachers risk making a wasted trip without the cache info? Maybe I'm just one who likes to plan everything out carefully before seeking a cache.

[+Joypa]

It's not a big deal. I've done it many times. Most caches are at the coords given and , when I travel some distance, I can't take the time to collect all of the data. If there's a problem, I just move on.

[+Kit Fox]

I know some folks sometimes go out in the field, simply downloading cache coordinates to their GPS. Maybe they want to make the search tougher not knowing the size of the cache or any of the descriptors. I would never do such a thing as there can be crucial info in the description. For example, the posted coordinates for my puzzle cache lead only to parking for the cache. Some research has to be done to get its final coordinates before heading out to posted coords. If the cacher never looked at the cache's description, they'd never know this and thus cannot find the cache. Why do some geocachers risk making a wasted trip without the cache info? Maybe I'm just one who likes to plan everything out carefully before seeking a cache.

I inadvertantly experienced this phenomenon a month ago. I was in a hurry to leave, and put the batteries in my PDA incorrectly (reversed the polarity of one of them). Needless to say, when I went to read the description of the first cache, using my PDA, I got nothing.

 

I DNFed on five caches, because I didn't know what I was looking for, or what the hints were. I still found 19 caches though. I weeded out all puzzle caches before downloading the waypoints into my GPS and PDA.

 

I did manage to find one multi on the trip. At the second stage of the multi, I found a headstone. Not knowing what to do, I copied all the information off the head stone. It turned out that the answer was some of the information that I had written down.

[+Pioneer 'n' Tiff]

I have a log book that I write down a brief description of each cache - name, chords, size, title, difficulty, terrain and other pertinent information from the logs that I can see.

 

However, if I'm sititng at home and Tiff says she needs to go to location X, I quickly download them into the GPS, no notes, and get out of the house. Genrally I try to download traditional caches using this technique, and avoid downloading the puzzles, virtuals, and multi's. Whilst Tiff does her thing (knitting purchase, hairdressor, whatever) I sneak out, grab what I can, and be back before she finishes.

 

The downside to this is that sometimes when I get home I discover I either didn't have enough information for a really good cache, or I've done all the caches in the area except one. Thus it might be some time before I go back.

[+dkwolf]

I purposely go out without the cache descriptions-on paper or in a pda. Granted, I do look at the cache page before I go, but sometimes that may be as much as a month before I actually go look for it. A good percentage of the time, just by looking at the cache name in my GPS I can usually recall the type of container, description, and notes from the posted logs online. Not really sure why my mind locks onto stuff like that so easily, but seemingly trivial things stick with me for years while I sometimes can't remember what I did yesterday.

 

To me, not being able to simply flip to a sheet or a page on a pda adds to the challenge of geocaching, and it has made several caches I've found about 5x harder than they needed to be--for instance, one particular cache, one of the logs mentioned finding an artesian well in the same park as the cache. So, when I pulled in and saw the well, I parked the truck and bushwhacked/hiked through 3/4 mile of timber with several steep hills, only to find the cache on top of a 50' high railroad embankment (which I had to climb) Had I scouted the park better, I could have parked 500' away at crossing of the road and the now abandoned railroad, converted to hiking trails. All part of the game to me.

[+kschu]

I use GSAK to download Geocache data to my GPSr. I have it name the caches including one letter to indicate the size of the cache (M=micro, S=small, etc.). I have it load the last four log entries as F for found and N for not found. This is the escential info I want to have readily available.

 

When I am purposely going cache hunting, I check the descriptions and such before I go out. But when I am simply out and about, I may choose to take a shot in the semi dark at a cache that shows up on the map of my GPSr. Just two weeks ago I was visiting a friend 40 mins from my house. The nearest cache to his house was right on my way home. I stopped by and found the regular sized cache and left a TB behind. The site used to be a mini-putt course that has long been abandoned and is now hidden in some trees along a river. It was a really cool find.

 

Yes, caching is easier when you do your research and know what you are looking for. I must admit that several of my attempts with no prior research have been somewhat frustrating. But sometimes the unexpected and unplanned cache hunts can be very rewarding.

[+budd-rdc]

My first few finds were without descriptions. I soon started to carry printouts, and once I became a Premium Member, I dusted off an old PDA and went paperless.

 

Now, I usually have the description and hints with my PDA, but when the circumstances are right, I search with the coordinates only. For me, it's not just the challenge. It's an attempt to keep my intution sharp - I've seen too many examples of people panicking when something they rely on is taken away unexpectedly.

[+Team Neos]

I like to plan out what I am doing also...but there have been a few times when I found myself at the end of my list of caches to try with the coords for a few more caches in my GPS that I didn't load into the PDA (because they were just outside the circle of caches that I ran in the PQ). So, there I am, still ready to cache, and with cords showing to caches. What to do, what to do?

It usually turns out that the cache happens to be a multi or a puzzle cache(probably the reason that I didn't load it in the GPS to begin with--My husband dislikes multis with too many steps) and we get there only to find that we don't know what to do and have to leave empty handed. Once in a great while, though, we get lucky and find another cache or two that way. We usually get to see some interesting spot at least.

[+briansnat]

I've often went out with only the waypoints on my GPS. Since I've put Cachemate on my PDA this happens a lot less than it used to, but sometimes I just forget to bring the PDA and I happen to be in an area where there is a cache.

 

I do get skunked sometimes because I have no idea if I'm searching for a micro, regular cache, puzzle, virt or what, but the alternative of not geocaching is worse than getting skunked. A DNF is not a wasted trip.

[+Renegade Knight]

BTDT, It really helps knowing what you are looking for. I've gotten DNF's because some caches had a mandatory trade that I didn't know about until I got back. Other things have happened.

[+joe gremlin]

Why do some geocachers risk making a wasted trip without the cache info?

I'd be willing to guess that there are some who don't consider any trip to find a cache to be a wasted trip regardless of the end result. For some it may be more about the mystery, the hunt, and the discovery. There's another topic going right now about using hints and in a way, this question speaks to the same issue.

 

I think it all comes down to how much information you want to have before you seek a cache and that's going to be different for different people. Some want all the info they can get. Some want the basic info but try to save the hints as a sort of life raft. Others apparently like to 'light their hair on fire and walk the wire without a net.'

 

One of the things that appeals to me about this hobby is that it has that sort of adaptability. You can play the game many different ways and as long as it's fun it's all good. Though I suspect there are laws in some areas about lighting your hair on fire in the woods.

[+Sue Gremlin]

That reminds me, honey, we need to put some matches in our backpack.

Edited July 20, 2005 by Sue Gremlin

[+Mopar]

Why do some geocachers risk making a wasted trip without the cache info?

I'd be willing to guess that there are some who don't consider any trip to find a cache to be a wasted trip regardless of the end result. For some it may be more about the mystery, the hunt, and the discovery. There's another topic going right now about using hints and in a way, this question speaks to the same issue.

You nailed it!

I almost exclusively search for caches without using the description.

I have it in my PDA to fall back on, but I usually wont refer to it until I'm at the point of DNFing the cache otherwise.

Granted, I do use some 3rd party tools to enhance the cache info available to me in my GPS.

Just by looking at my GPS I know the following info:

• GC#
  
• cache name
  
• cache type (traditional, multi, puzzle, virtual, etc)
  
• if the cache is a micro or not
  
• difficulty/terrain rating
  
• if there is a TB in the cache
  
• if the last few logs were DNFs
  

Usually this info is all I need to locate a cache, or at least decide if I need to read the cache description or not.

If it's a virtual I know I'm gonna have to read it to find out what I need for verification. If it's a multi I'll at least scan the description to see if it's a standard "go to these coords and find a container with the next coords" type or something that requires me to do a little math or visit multiple coords.

If it's a high terrain I'll probable read the description (as well as study topo and aerial maps) to know what I'm getting into and how to do it as safely as possible.

I usually enjoy the journey more then the cache, and finding the best parking and the proper trailhead is all part of the game for me.

Have I turned a 1.5 park-n-grab cache into a 4.5 epic adventure?

Hell yea, more then once!

Know what? Not only was it lots of fun, but I tend to remember those difficult caches a lot longer then the easy ones; even if the difficulty is all my fault.

[+AtoZ]

A friend gave me a list of cache on a trip I was going to take. I had dome spot gpx files along the route but it seemed every cache I stoped to do I did not have any info on. Need to say it was a blast to hunt a cache with no info. But one was a multi so that was a pain as I didn't know what it was and thought it was a virtual. Any was it can be done.

cheers

[+TeamAO]

I haven't found many caches, but the caches I have found, I've never used the description. In my experience, or lack thereof, the GPS will get you there, and with TOPO and CitySelect on the GPSr's we have no trouble mapping a way in. Sometimes, if you go out unprepared, again in my experience, or lack thereof, it's more adventurous.

 

Just my opinion.

[+WizCreations]

As many geocachers before me have stated (or at least a few), those who go out without a piece of paper don't just upload a puzzle cache or a virtual or even multis to their GPSr. I used to never even look at the cache page, and when I couldn't find the cache, I just moved on, but now, I look through some of them just like dkwolf and happen to remember all the useful information months later. So far, it hasn't been a problem to just go off of a location.

[+joe gremlin]

Just by looking at my GPS I know the following info:

• 
   
  
• GC#
   
  
• cache name
   
  
• cache type (traditional, multi, puzzle, virtual, etc)
   
  
• if the cache is a micro or not
   
  
• difficulty/terrain rating
   
  
• if there is a TB in the cache
   
  
• if the last few logs were DNFs
   
  

<HomerSimpsonDrool> How'd you get your GPSr to do all that?</HSD>

[bogleman]

Being the impulsive type many times all I do is enter the numbers into the GPS and see what type it is and go for it. Sometimes I do write the numbers & type of cache on small post it notes for reference. I'm not all that obsessive about things. Even with the cache page listing in hand I still get turned around and mess things up, thats half the fun (for me). When I go out I try for 3-4 caches, it all depends on how bad I want to find the cache so I don't need a PDA or all that fancy stuff. It would make things easier, oh by the way you don't even want to try to look at my personal filing system.

[+geognerd]

I guess I'm old school: No PDA, just the GPSr, the cache description printed out, and a pen in my pocket. Just thought I'd add something to the discussion. I know not everyone reads other cachers' logs, but here's an example of why you should. I was FTF at a cache a couple weeks ago and noted in my log that I thought I saw poison ivy on the bushwhack in. The second visitor to the cache was today and noted in his log that he got poison ivy. I don't know if he read my log or if it would have mattered. But I know that when I see comments about poison ivy or ticks, I take extra care when hunting the cache.

[CoyoteRed]

The problem with going without descriptions is you don't read any warning on the cache page. You don't learn if there are special precautions or restrictions.

 

I replaced a cache I adopted at a church. I moved the cache the about 30' and updated the coordinates. The page now has warnings about which direction you need to approach the cache and hours in which you can do it. Guess what, we've had folks bushwach in from the elementary school jeopardizing the hide.

 

I could have made it is a multi or mystery and by that very virtue alone cut the number of visitors in half or less. It's a simple little church with folks buried there that you read about in history books or recognize the name on maps. It deserves the attention. That's the reason it stays a traditional.

 

Many, many moons ago I recommended a cache type called "commando" which was a cache type specifically for using only coordinates and nothing else. A Commando type cache isn't necessarily a traditional, but one that where you dn't need a description. Of course, like anything else if fell on deaf ears.

 

When the attributes came along I recommended an attribute "commando" or "must read description" with the idea of being able to filter to get only the caches where you don't need to read the description. Again, nothing came of it.

 

We are left with having to use stop-gap measures which will become so engrained that workable solutions will be inneffective because of having to change thousands of cache descriptions.

 

My recommendation is if you are using GSAK read the descriptions and mark your commando caches and move them over to a new database. That way when you travel with just your GPS you can be fairly assured you are not traspassing or committing some other faux pas that might jeopardize the hide.

[+edscott]

I always take a description and a map instead of a GPS. The only battery I need to have working is the one to start the car when I get back to it. []

[+blazerfan]

I've gone with just coordinates a lot... and I've been burned a few times. Every traditional should be at the listed coordinates... and if they aren't they are mislabled and I'll let a approver know. I think going without hints and a description adds a little extra difficulty especially to the urban landscape. Some people frown on this practice because often the cache page is full of information that you may need to know or would explain the location... but in the end its all in how you like to play the game.

[+Miragee]

The problem with going out without the description, or with "stale" data, is that the cache could have gone missing a week earlier, or a day earlier. I have looked and looked and looked for caches and then, when I got home and checked the cache page to record my experience, found out the cache was not there.

 

I could have found half a dozen other caches in the time I wasted looking for the ones that weren't there.

 

Also, I own a cache where I tell people they must bring a phillips-head screwdriver. The text stating this is in a big, bold, orange-color font on the cache page.

 

The logs for that cache are fun because most people have arrived without the necessary tool . . .

[+ShowStop]

When I route plan, I load my query into GSAK and my mapping software, and plot a route. I check the cache parameters in GSAK (ratings, finds/DNFs, etc) and drop or add caches as needed. I have GSAK set-up to load the WPs into my GPS with the ratings, cache size, hint and user name (whatever fits up to 30 characters). I've made many a sucessful caching day by doing this alone. When I get stumped at the cache site, I go to my WAP interface on my cell phone and bring up the cache page or call for a lifeline. Sometimes this method adds more time to the search, other times it results in a DNF. With my average being 30+ finds on a single outing like this, I'm not too disappointed to DNF a few.