My first experience

[+mithuth]

Thanks to the members of ErieJeeppeople.com I am starting to feel the addiction of geocaching. Thanks guys! Anyhow, here's how my first experience went.

 

I do not have a GPS yet, so I found a site to convert the coordinates into a small map and printed the cache info and the map. I tried 3 today with no GPS. Two were micro and one standard. For some reason I thought the micro would be easier to find since they were in somewhat familiar places and near my house.

 

Boy, was I wrong. We (a friend and I) searched for a few hours at both of the micro locations and walked away empty handed. They were both in somewhat urban locations so we didnt stay too long, to avoid drawing too much attention to ourselves. Walked away with nothing.

 

Then we headed out onto the wilderness to hunt the final cache. With our feelings of dred lingering from the last two failed hunts, we stumbled around in the woods reading clues and back tracking a lot. Just when we were about to give up we stumbled upon something suspicious... WE FOUND IT! WOO HOO! Now I think it's time to get a GPS and go back to the first two micros and nail 'em.

 

I just wanted to share my first experience and thank everyone who hides and maintains the caches. This is going to get better and more addicting, I can feel it. lol.

[+BlueDeuce]

Welcome to the addiction.

[+Torry]

My first few finds were without a GPSr ... it's no fun.... until you find it.

 

Stock up on bug spray. Please, leave the golf balls and spider rings at home.

[+Kabuthunk]

Congrats on the gps-less find man! Yeah, I think I only found one micro without a GPS system... and it took a fair amount of hunting But hey, after 14 gps-less finds, I finally picked up a GPS. Don't worry... I had several DNF's when I first started too... and will likely have more to come

Edited September 4, 2006 by Kabuthunk

[SAWKS]

You are a natrual Geocacher if you can find 'em without a GPSr!

[+Trucker Lee]

We are having a cool day in Texas, finally got the wife to go out with me caching. 3 dnfs, then a hit. Maybe she gets the bug now too.

[+SilverBullets]

We decided to try a few close to home before buying a GPS. Between the online cache logs, additional hints, and a fuzzy google earth map of the coordinates, I thought they'd be an easy find.

 

The first location was easy to find, but the cache was hidden pretty well. My wife was able to find it after about 10 minutes. The second lead us to a cemetary (where several members of my family are laid to rest). This one took a while but after about 30 minutes, my son and I spotted the micro cache.

 

We're hooked now. Nothing like a hobby that the whole family (including the dog) can participate in.

 

We're shopping around for a good deal on a GPS and plan to do some searching on our upcoming vacation. Yet another plus if it keeps the wife out of the outlet malls!!!!!!!

[+mithuth]

Yeah, I been looking at the Garmin 60CSX, but I'm sceptical to spend so much on something I will probably only use for caching.

 

For driving and such, I've got google maps and a keen direction sense. I haven't been lost in a vehicle yet. (YET!) lol

 

Can anyone recommend one for a starting cacher?

Edited September 4, 2006 by mithuth

[+Ladybuilder]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one out there hunting without a GPSr. I expect to get mine next week, but could not wait to get started.

 

My first find was a well hidden micro cache... and I was hooked after that. Second find was also a small cache, where I picked up my first cache 'trinket'. Third find was a benchmark, which I was determined to find after an earlier DNF where a wasp got me before I knew he was there. OUCH!!!

 

And many are right in welcoming you to the addiction - for despite the Florida heat, and wasp stings, I've neglected the laundry, housework, paperwork.... hmm... did I remember to feed the dog??

[+GreyingJay]

 

Can anyone recommend one for a starting cacher?

 

The Garmin eTrex Legend shouldn't be much over $100 and has more than everything you'll need for geocaching. Probably the best value you'll find in an inexpensive unit that still supports mapping, WAAS, PC interface cable, etc.

[+Night Stalker]

Having started with a less expensive GPS myself I was not sure I needed the 60CS (the latest model at the time). Now that I have used it far more than a year I can't understand how I got by without it. I am now looking at a new 60CX and keeping the older 60CS as a backup.

 

You never will know all the uses for these units until after you have one.

[+Team Snoopy]

I got some friends hooked on geocaching and they have gone without a unit. I believe they have 24 finds right now, including multi's. I have offered them my 2nd unit many times, but they are having fun finding the caches their way. I think it's awesome they can find them by using maps, but I'm not that good. Of course, I spent the money on a gps, so I sure as heck gonna use it! They say eventually they'll get one, but for now they're gonna try and see how many they can find with the gps!

[avroair]

Welcome aboard, I think your experience is very similar to alot of people I know. Very few of us had a GPS before we went geocaching.

[+mithuth]

Welcome aboard, I think your experience is very similar to alot of people I know. Very few of us had a GPS before we went geocaching.

 

I'm pretty implressed that we found 4 so far without a GPS. I may set a goal to find like 25/30 of em before going digital. We'll see how it goes.