+texas1 Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 when going to find a geocahe is it best to use follow road or off road? thanks again Texas1 Quote Link to comment
+huskerrich2000 Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 depends on the cache, however in keeping with leave no unnecessary trace, stay on the trail as much as possible. Even an animal trail can lead you to a ford in a stream that you would not have found bushwhacking Quote Link to comment
+Polar B's Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I typically stick to the road or path and get as close to the cache as possible before I go off road. Not only are you not trampling plants, but I find it is easier to get to. When I started I tried the straight to approach and ended up having to start over because of an obsticle. Not that it doesn't happen now, justr less often. Quote Link to comment
+ThePropers Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I say get out of your car and make a beeline for the cache. This is especially fun if it's 8 miles from your house, then you don't even have to get in the car. Seriously though, I have done both. It depends on the terrain for me, and also what kindof location I'm in (I'll tend to bushwack more on gamelands than in state parks, since they're concerned more about the environmental impact in those kindof parks.) Quote Link to comment
+Roland_oso Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) when going to find a geocahe is it best to use follow road or off road? thanks again Texas1 I'm guessing that you are referring to the option in newer Garmin models to select "Follow Road” or "Off Road" when you initiate a "GOTO". If that is the case, I use a combo of both. If I'm in the car driving to the cache I use "Follow Road" until I get to the park or whatever it is that the cache is located in or at. When I get out and I'm on foot, I "Recalculate" and choose "Off Road". Sometimes the "Follow Road" will take you in a roundabout way to get to the cache area. I think the units default to choose the least amount of left turns to get where you want to go. I remember when I was traveling across I-20 and I was going to nab a cache just off the Interstate. The "Follow Road" had me exit the highway take a right and get on a road that went under the highway and intersected with the road that is the next exit up, turn right and then right on to the service road back to the exit I initally took to get off the highway, when all I had to do is take a left at the exit and go under the interstate to reach the same spot. Go Figure! I'm sure my track log looked like a figure eight! Edited September 7, 2006 by Roland_oso Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 when going to find a geocahe is it best to use follow road or off road? thanks again Texas1 I'm guessing that you are referring to the option in newer Garmin models to select "Follow Road” or "Off Road" when you initiate a "GOTO". If that is the case, I use a combo of both. If I'm in the car driving to the cache I use "Follow Road" until I get to the park or whatever it is that the cache is located in or at. When I get out and I'm on foot, I "Recalculate" and choose "Off Road". Sometimes the "Follow Road" will take you in a roundabout way to get to the cache area. I think the units default to choose the least amount of left turns to get where you want to go. I remember when I was traveling across I-20 and I was going to nab a cache just off the Interstate. The "Follow Road" had me exit the highway take a right and get on a road that went under the highway and intersected with the road that is the next exit up, turn right and then right on to the service road back to the exit I initally took to get off the highway, when all I had to do is take a left at the exit and go under the interstate to reach the same spot. Go Figure! I'm sure my track log looked like a figure eight! Generally speaking for me, I don't rely on the GPS to select the roads so I just leave my unit on off road to get me to the cache. (Again assuming you are reffering to the Garmin unit features) Quote Link to comment
+GreyingJay Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Also, I'm not entirely certain how and when the unit decides to switch automatically from Follow Road to Off Road. I'm pretty sure it does, or at least it can, but it doesn't seem to do it consistently (at least not for me) which has resulted in confusion for me a few times. Confused? What I mean is this: I used "Follow Road" and it took me turn by turn to the road closest to the cache. In the one case I struck it lucky, and parked on the side of a residential road where the was a path leading into the park. I started walking toward the rough location of the cache, but I was getting bewildered by the distance and bearing the GPS was giving me. Turns out, it was still trying to point me to the mythical spot in the middle of the road where I was supposed go, before it would switch automatically into the off road "OK, now follow the arrow" mode. Once I recalculated Off Road, it took me there just fine. I think there is an exact spot that you need to hit while doing Follow Road before it switches into Off Road. If you do not hit that spot EXACTLY, it will keep trying to lead you there. Quote Link to comment
+ThePropers Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Generally speaking for me, I don't rely on the GPS to select the roads so I just leave my unit on off road to get me to the cache. (Again assuming you are reffering to the Garmin unit features) I did not even realize this was a feature with the new Garmins. I have a 60Csx on the way, so I'm glad I'm reading about it here before I'm out geocaching with it and not understanding what the heck is going on. yeah, that's the forums coming in handy. Quote Link to comment
+QuesterMark Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 when going to find a geocahe is it best to use follow road or off road? thanks again Texas1 (I have a GPSmap 60Cx.) I use them both. If I'm going to have to drive to the vicinity of the cache, I'll start with Follow Road. When it tells me that I don't have any more turns, I stop navigation and Find again, and choose Off Road. Quote Link to comment
+Roland_oso Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 when going to find a geocahe is it best to use follow road or off road? thanks again Texas1 (I have a GPSmap 60Cx.) I use them both. If I'm going to have to drive to the vicinity of the cache, I'll start with Follow Road. When it tells me that I don't have any more turns, I stop navigation and Find again, and choose Off Road. Save yourself a few clicks and instead of “Stop Navigation” use “Recalculate” it will take you to the “Follow Road” or “Off Road” screen. It took me awhile to figure that one out. Quote Link to comment
+Roland_oso Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 when going to find a geocahe is it best to use follow road or off road? thanks again Texas1 I'm guessing that you are referring to the option in newer Garmin models to select "Follow Road” or "Off Road" when you initiate a "GOTO". If that is the case, I use a combo of both. If I'm in the car driving to the cache I use "Follow Road" until I get to the park or whatever it is that the cache is located in or at. When I get out and I'm on foot, I "Recalculate" and choose "Off Road". Sometimes the "Follow Road" will take you in a roundabout way to get to the cache area. I think the units default to choose the least amount of left turns to get where you want to go. I remember when I was traveling across I-20 and I was going to nab a cache just off the Interstate. The "Follow Road" had me exit the highway take a right and get on a road that went under the highway and intersected with the road that is the next exit up, turn right and then right on to the service road back to the exit I initally took to get off the highway, when all I had to do is take a left at the exit and go under the interstate to reach the same spot. Go Figure! I'm sure my track log looked like a figure eight! Generally speaking for me, I don't rely on the GPS to select the roads so I just leave my unit on off road to get me to the cache. (Again assuming you are reffering to the Garmin unit features) Nor do I anymore, unless I'm in some place that is totally unfamiliar. Quote Link to comment
+Roland_oso Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) Generally speaking for me, I don't rely on the GPS to select the roads so I just leave my unit on off road to get me to the cache. (Again assuming you are reffering to the Garmin unit features) I did not even realize this was a feature with the new Garmins. I have a 60Csx on the way, so I'm glad I'm reading about it here before I'm out geocaching with it and not understanding what the heck is going on. yeah, that's the forums coming in handy. Use the "Setup" screen to change the “Routing Setup” to “Prompted” I think it defaults to “Follow Road”. And Turn "Off" the “Lock on Road” on the “Map Setup - General” screen. Again, I think the default was "on" Edited September 7, 2006 by Roland_oso Quote Link to comment
+boda Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I prefer to be "prompted" as well. I ususally use the Offroad feature and switch views to see the map in a pinch. This is usually sufficient; but, if not, I'll switch to the Follow Road feature. I cache with another team using an identical MAP60CS and we will sometimes set them up so they read differently and get the best of both worlds. We were both new cachers and our GPSr's were set up differently on our first outing together. Theirs showed and arrow pointing directly to GZ while mine pointed in the opposite direction. The closer we got to the cache the more frustrated I became. It turns out that we were walking in a park and mine was directing us back to the car ON THE ROAD, and theirs showed the Offroad path to the cache. I almost gave up on this confusing sport right then and there. Fortunately, I figured it out that evening and felt much better. Quote Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I use the Follow Road option until I'm on the last leg of the route. Then I switch to Off Road, and usually switch to the arrow screen. Quote Link to comment
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