Finding that Cache!

[+Kasakato]

Whats the process that you use you find a cache? Do you use Google earth? maps?, etc...

 

Personally this is my process:

 

1) Google earth to get a good overview of the area.

2) Street maps to plane my route

3) Dive or bike there

4) Using the Geocaching mode on my Garmin to get within 100ft of the cache

5) Then I go co-do, by co-od to get me within 10ft

6) Stop and look

 

This process seems to working for me, but is there any way to make it more streamline? Maybe there's a more effective way to use my GPS?

[+briansnat]

1) Load the closest 500 caches to my home into my GPS using Pocket Queries and another 300 caches from other select areas that I frequent.

2) Download the same cache pages to my PDA

3) Go somewhere (often for a hike) and check my GPS to see if any caches are nearby.

4) Curse myself for forgetting my PDA.

[+Team Perks]

My last trip was much like Brian's:

 

1) Load the closest 500 caches to my home into my GPS using Pocket Queries and another 300 caches from other select areas that I frequent.

2) Download the same cache pages to my PDA

3) While on a long weekend trip intended in part to find some geocaches I've been wanting to find for years, reach for my GPS to see if any caches are nearby.

4) Curse myself for forgetting my GPS.

 

Sigh.

[+Skillet68]

On a good day...

1.) Download all the info into the GPSr.

2.) Print all necessary pages and place them in to the "Official Geocaching Notebook"

3.) Pull up google earth and check general area

4.) Plan route to the caches for the day

5.) Head out for the caches

6.) Find all selected caches quickly and go home and log my smilies!

 

On a bad day...

1.) Download all the info into the GPSr.

2.) Print all necessary pages and place them in to the "Official Geocaching Notebook"

3.) Pull up google earth and check general area

4.) Plan route to the caches for the day

5.) Head out for the caches

6.) Turn around and go back home to get the "Official Geocaching Notebook"

7.) Head out for the caches

8.) Stop and buy new batteries...

9.) Get to the general area and find that I didn't print the pages for this particular cache...call home to have someone look it up only to find the "boy" is on the computer playing a game and I promised I wouldn't make him stop to look up caches for me anymore. Spend 2 hours looking and go home to log my DNFs for the day.

[+edscott]

1. Decide where I want to go today.

2. Determine the nearest cache to that spot that I haven't yet found.

3. List all the nearby caches relative to that cache.

4. Print cache pages. (filter out Multis.. I can't print new maps in the woods.. unless it is an area where I may return later for the other stage(s).)

5. Print topos, if they are needed to get within a couple hundred meters or so.

6. Print aerial photo of each cache.

7. Plan the best route to use and the most effecient order in which to find them.

8. Go caching

[+Renegade Knight]

1) Load waypoints to the GPS.

2) Load the GPX to the PDA.

3) Hunt when I have time.

4) Ask Night Stalker if he has his GPS and PDA because I forgot both.

[+Sioneva]

Whats the process that you use you find a cache? Do you use Google earth? maps?, etc...

 

Personally this is my process:

 

1) Google earth to get a good overview of the area.

2) Street maps to plane my route

3) Dive or bike there

 

<snip>

 

 

Scuba dive, or shallow water?

[+StarBrand]

1. Once I know where I am going - run a PQ (along route or general circle or both)

2. Load PQ into GPS and copy GPX to my handheld

3. Go

4. Watch GPS for nearby caches as I dirve/hike

5. Read about in PDA

6. Go Find (if they look interesting)

7. Repeat

[+Harry Dolphin]

1. Decide where I want to go today.

2. Determine the nearest cache to that spot that I haven't yet found.

3. List all the nearby caches relative to that cache.

4. Print cache pages. (filter out Multis.. I can't print new maps in the woods.. unless it is an area where I may return later for the other stage(s).)

5. Print topos, if they are needed to get within a couple hundred meters or so.

6. Print aerial photo of each cache.

7. Plan the best route to use and the most effecient order in which to find them.

8. Go caching

 

Ed, you and I ae quickly becoming dinosaurs, but that's the way I do it. Well, except for the multis. What's a PDA? Why would I want one? (Oops. I say the sme thing about cell phones.)

[+readmore]

1. Load every cache within a 10 mile radius around my house into GPSr

2. Decide where I'm going, look up caches in the area, and make sure this is within that 10 mile radius. If not, load caches in target area.

3. Memorize relevant details (stuff like, "if you pass x, you've gone too far") of all target caches

4. Check google maps (NOT earth) to get an idea on parking

5. Drive to cache site. Walk towards cache keeping an eye out for suspect things like old trees, multi-trunked trees, etc.

6. Keep going until you're at ground zero, and search a 20 foot radius.

7. If not found, widen search to 50 feet. Then further.

 

I haven't had a DNF for awhile now so this seems to work for me.

[+fishingfools]

run a PQ a few days before the hunt

Locate an area of high cache density

research each and every cache, plot route on laptop, solve puzzles, look for a string of DNFs, Etc

Load up laptop, GPS, PDA, gas tank

leave at dawn, return when no longer fun or midnight, whichever comes first

Maintain route disipline, use lap top to follow route, PDA and GPS once parked

lose pen within minutes of jumping out for first cache

Have a TON of fun

repeat as needed

Edited August 10, 2006 by fishingfools

[+nctreker]

Run PQ

Load info into GPS and PDA

Use auto-routing to get me to cache.

Curse auto-routing for dumping me in the middle of a sub-development.

Backtrack to find the park.

[+readmore]

Use auto-routing to get me to cache.

Curse auto-routing for dumping me in the middle of a sub-development.

Backtrack to find the park.

 

Hmmm... Auto-routing.

 

Question: The garmin that I've got coming to me in the mail I understand has autorouting. But I assume the base map isn't detailed enough to get a good route... Does that mean to use auto-routing I'll need to load more detailed maps onto the unit? And if so, do the detailed maps cost money?

[+briansnat]

Use auto-routing to get me to cache.

Curse auto-routing for dumping me in the middle of a sub-development.

Backtrack to find the park.

 

Hmmm... Auto-routing.

 

Question: The garmin that I've got coming to me in the mail I understand has autorouting. But I assume the base map isn't detailed enough to get a good route... Does that mean to use auto-routing I'll need to load more detailed maps onto the unit? And if so, do the detailed maps cost money?

 

Yes, you will need detailed maps and yes they cost more money. City Navigator is about $130 and worth every penny. Your unit will route on the base map, but unless you and your destination are on a major highway, its not worth much. The basemap routing does come in handy for long trips. You can load detailed maps for your home area and destination and use the basemap to route in between.

[+thedeadpirate]

Run PQ

Load info into GPS and PDA

Use auto-routing to get me to cache.

Curse auto-routing for dumping me in the middle of a sub-development.

Backtrack to find the park.

 

I've experienced more than a few times.

[+sbell111]

Question: The garmin that I've got coming to me in the mail I understand has autorouting. But I assume the base map isn't detailed enough to get a good route... Does that mean to use auto-routing I'll need to load more detailed maps onto the unit? And if so, do the detailed maps cost money?

It depends. Some GPSrs come with map software, some don't.

[+sbell111]

1. Dump GPX file into my GPSr and PDA

2. When I feel like geocaching, hit GOTO.

3. Follow the soothing voice of my Garmin Quest as she leads me to the general area where I should park.

4. Follow the arrow on my Geko 301 to find ground zero.

5. Set the GPSr down.

6. Look around for the cache

7. If not found, Check the GPSr. While I've been looking, its been crunching the numbers. Go to where it now says GZ is and repeat from step 5.