Newbie Needs Help...

[snowfoxrox]

Hi, I am fairly new to Geocaching and am enjoying it greatly. My problem is two fold. A.) I dont have a GPSr unit yet. Hope to get one next month and B.) I live in the Fresno area and have been trying to play along by following the clues. I download a map that gets me to the general area and use the clues to home in on the cache. My main problem is that I have no idea what I am looking for when I get there. I know I have been in the right area but just am not sure what I should be looking for.

Is there any one in the general Fresno area that would be willing to take me on a few finds so that I can get a feel for what I am doing? I would like to be able to do some harder more rural finds after I get my GPSr, but fear I would be running around in circles if I dont know what to look for! I have found one on my own and was walking on clouds all day! What a rush to find one!

Thank You,

Snowfoxrox

[+bear&fox]

Once you have a GPSr it'll be much easier - the coordinates should take you within a few feet of the cache placement.

 

What kind of maps do you use - are they large scale and accurate enough? Decode the hint that many of the geocache pages have and filter through some of the log entries. Once you find a clue - someone may mention a tree or a large boulder - then concentrate on those areas. Once you have found a couple you will know what to start looking for.

 

Perhaps try posting a request for cachers from Fresno in the local (state) forum. This will undoubtedly be the best way to get you going nicely.

 

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

Cheers,

B&F

[Keystone]

If you are hunting in an urban area, the Google hi-resolution aerial photos may be more helpful to you than a map. You can see that the cache is at the back corner of the building. This doesn't help quite as much out in the woods. You look at the aerial photo and conclude that the cache is under all those green trees someplace. The TopoZone maps are more helpful in that situation.

[snowfoxrox]

How do I get to the local forums? I tried a link earlier, but it led me to a list of caches. I use Mapquest, and do filter through log entries to get more info. I find areas that match the descriptions right on but have problems locating the cache.

Is there a better on-line mapping service?

Thank you for your input!!!!

SFR

[+WeightMan]

How do I get to the local forums? I tried a link earlier, but it led me to a list of caches. I use Mapquest, and do filter through log entries to get more info. I find areas that match the descriptions right on but have problems locating the cache.

Is there a better on-line mapping service?

Thank you for your input!!!!

SFR

In the main forum page, scroll down further and you should find the West Southwest Forum. That includes California. There may also be a cachers association in your area and they might have a forum as well. The West Southwest forum might help there.

[snowfoxrox]

If you are hunting in an urban area, the Google hi-resolution aerial photos may be more helpful to you than a map. You can see that the cache is at the back corner of the building. This doesn't help quite as much out in the woods. You look at the aerial photo and conclude that the cache is under all those green trees someplace. The TopoZone maps are more helpful in that situation.

Wow! Thanks for the tip about google! I just checked some of the places I was searching. I must have just not searched well enough! Very cool!!!! Many thanks. At least now I know I really am in the correct general local!! Kinda feels funny looking around when your only about %80 sure of the area! Looking forawrd to many happy days hunting and hiding!!

[+bear&fox]

Hey snowfoxrox, here's the link to the local (US) forums:

Regional Forums

[+the hermit crabs]

How do I get to the local forums? I tried a link earlier, but it led me to a list of caches. 

 

Click on the West and Southwest link in the "Geocaching Groups by Region / State" section of the foums. (If you try to narrow it down further and click on the California link, you get a list of the most recently placed caches in California.)

[+geognerd]

You can also try searching for benchmarks while you are without a GPSr. The descriptions of the marks are detailed enough that you don't need a GPS receiver to find them. That'll give you some more stuff to hunt while shopping for your receiver.

[+ZingerHead]

Make sure you pick caches of a Traditional type, regular size. Avoid micro caches for now - the bigger caches will be much (MUCH) easier to find. Once you've got a few of those under your belt you can try for the trickier micro hides.

 

Some examples:

Traditional, regular size - 1qt or larger tupperware or ammo box

Traditional, small - tiny tupperware, large pill bottle

Traditional, micro - 35mm film canister, magnetic hide-a-key

Traditional, nano - even smaller

 

You're looking for something that's out of place. The best hides only look "out of place" to a geocacher. To casual observers, nothing is amiss. Caches are never buried, so cross that off your list of possibilities.

 

Another idea is to try virtual caches. In some cases these will take you to a fairly obvious spot, like a monument, where you will have to note some specific information to send to the hider. No treasure involved, but hey, it's still geocaching .

[+rockey_f_squirrell]

Dont rely too much on clues. I think there is a Forum topic called 'USELESS HINTS'. one of my recent finds in St Louis area (Clydesdale Park), took me to a spot I had to laugh, cause I knew they done this as a sense of humor.

 

I found a Travel Bug and it's final destination was this one cache in St Louis. "What a thrill it would be to complete a TB mission' I thought, so I got up and went. The clue said 'Under a brush and log pile'.

 

I get over there, and it is a park in development, and there are about 20 different log and brush piles just side by side, from each other, it was like 102 degrees, spider webs all over the place, thorns and poison Ivy, and I had to find it if I wanted to complete this mission.

 

Actually the heat is what killed me. I was used to thorns and PI, but this was the hottest day I have been geocaching, and this Missouri Humidity did not help at all.

 

But I used my 'X-Ray Vision', as well as 'The Force', to help me find it after 45 minutes. and I usually give up quickly too.

 

(Yeah in brush piles, after a while, you will learn how to spot caches)

[snowfoxrox]

I just want to thank everyone for their help!! I think between the Hi-res ariel pics adn the benchmarks I should up my chances of finding caches ( In fact I found one on my way from work this morning!! )

This is such a cool way to get out and do something I can't wait to get my GPSr I know some really neat spots in the mountains around here that are screaming for a cache!!

TTFN! SFR