dumb newbie confusion

[dreams318]

We've tried a few times to find a cache.... but have been unsuccessful. I have my GPS and I know how to work it. It says we are in the area, but we never find the cache. What are we doing wrong? What is it that we are looking for????

[+ventura_kids]

Which one are you looking for?

[dreams318]

Which one are you looking for?

 

a few in woodland hills. we tried finding the one by Fry's. the nerd heaven one. also the one at the gourmet meat market on fallbrook.

[+WeightMan]

One of the best resources is Geocacher University.

 

When you start to get close to the cache, stop looking at the GPSr and start to look for possible hiding places. Start with regular caches. Micros can be very hard to find, where ammo boxes are much easier. Limit yourself to difficulty 2 until you get used to what you are looking for. Remember most cache hiding places just don't look right. Something doesn't look normal. As an example the cache may be under that unusual pile of sticks or stones.

[+Semper Questio]

You could always hook up with a local cacher organization to find somene who will take you out and show you the ropes. Generally, every area has someone that is more than happy to help the newcomers along.

 

Barring that, stick with the easy regular caches for a whileand then slip into seeking the easier rated micros.

 

Also, remember that your gizmo is NOT all that accurate and it will tell you different things on differnet days in the same place and you never know the quality of the coords the cache hider posted on the cache page to begin with.

 

As mentioned before, when you get close you have to start looking and thinking. Most caches will have SOMETHING about it that just doesn't look right. For instance, sticks NEVER fall right at the base of a tree in parallel to one another or stacked neatly.

 

Good luck!

[+StarBrand]

Stop put away your GPSr when it says you are within 20 feet. Step back and look over the area and think - where would I hide something. Start looking in those places. Check previous logs for subtle clues about the hide. Look for anything that is -just not quite right. Look for signs that somebody else stood there or sat there or spent time in any area. Stick with regular sized ones for your first few caches. Stick with area that are at least a little familar to you.

[+sbell111]

You might check to make sure that you GPSr is set to the correct datum.

[Luckless]

Hi there,

What does it say on the cache webpage about the cache? Is it a micro, small or regular?

If it is a micro it is often something the size of a film canister. These are pretty small and often cleverly hidden. You may want to look for a regular cache which is large (and therefore easier to find) for your first hunt. Many owners say on their cache webpage just what to look for- for example- a peanut butter jar. (A peanut butter jar would usually be considered a small cache.)

Follow your GPS until it says you are within one foot (or as close as it will get) to the cache and then just start to look around for places where a micro, small or regular cache (depending on what the cache webpage says your cache is) might be placed/hidden.

There are often hints in code on the cache webpage to help you locate the cache. You can decode the hint.

[+ventura_kids]

I think I can help you.... I go past that area everyday....

 

About the one at Frys.... the old cache is archived (it's gone).

so...

I hope you are looking for "Nerd Heaven" .

 

Are you zeroing out near the big metal square boxes?

The hint on the page tells you right where it is.

That's a good one to practice on.

 

I haven't found the meat market one yet (gourmet cache). I'll go there tomorrow around 3pm and find it.

 

Welcome to Geocaching.

Edited October 3, 2006 by ventura_kids

[+ventura_kids]

http://www.socalgeocachers.com/

 

This is a link to a local geocaching board.

There are lots of San Fernando Valley geocachers on there.

[+whitebear]

I would just do difficulty 1 caches until you have found 2 or 3 and can start to see the way they are hidden .I find generally each hidder has a specific way they hide & they usually stick with it ,so next time you are looking for their caches its easier.

You can also set a waypoint for something in your yard then go 50 feet away and try and zero out on it as a practice.

Probably the best situation is to go out with a local cacher who will show you some of the ropes .I am sure there are lots in you r area.

Happy Geotrtails & watch out you WILL get hooked!

[+ventura_kids]

I ran over and found Gourmet Cache GCY1ZR. It wasn't as easy as it seems. Did you zero out at the back corner of the giant Ice Machine? That's where I found the cache after a bit of hunting. Don't bother digging around on or under the ice machine. It's actually on private property, but you can reach it.

 

If you are not zero-ing out there, then let us know how far away you did zero out at. Good luck.

[dreams318]

thank you so much, you guys are so helpful. I'm going over to the market one tomorrow afternoon. If I, god forbid, have another problem with finding it I'll let you know.

Thanks so much again!! I'll probably be posting more questions later.

[+kc8bdr]

thank you so much, you guys are so helpful. I'm going over to the market one tomorrow afternoon. If I, god forbid, have another problem with finding it I'll let you know.

Thanks so much again!! I'll probably be posting more questions later.

 

Let us know if you found it (Or did not find it) I would offer to go with you on a hunt or two but I am 2000+ miles away.

 

Good luck.

 

Jim

Kc8bdr

[+cimawr]

We've tried a few times to find a cache.... but have been unsuccessful. I have my GPS and I know how to work it. It says we are in the area, but we never find the cache. What are we doing wrong? What is it that we are looking for????

 

Well... what you're looking for will vary a LOT depending on the individual cache.

The largest cache I've found is a huge ammo box, about 2 feet long, 18 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. The smallest is a tiny round metal box about the size of a pencil tip; maybe 1/4 inch high. A lot of urban caches are small magnetic containers such as key-hiders, or 35mm film canisters; a lot of woodland/park ones are tupperware-type containers, small/medium ammo boxes, or fishing tackle containers.

The page for the individual cache should tell you what size the cache is - nano (really tiny, like my smallest one), micro (film canister, key holder, etc.), small (will hold small items), regular. Sometimes, it will even tell you what the container is.

 

And some harder caches are tricky, and make you think - for example, one I've seen is a golf ball with a hole punched in one side just big enough to hold a small metal tube with a screw-on top; the log is rolled up and tucked into the tube. The ball was then half-buried where you won't see just walking up, but can if you search a bit.

The tube side is down, so it looks like a lost ball that's been sitting around for awhile. Lost golf balls are very common in most large public areas around here, so people tend to just overlook them. Very sneaky!

 

If you read the page for the individual cache before you go, it will ALSO give you difficulty ratings for finding the cache and for the terrain - that will give you some idea of how hard it should be both to get to the cache and to find it once you're there.

Reading some of the logs on the page will help, too.

Edited October 4, 2006 by cimawr

[dreams318]

I found the gourmet cache.... I'm officially addicted. thanks for your tips, I love you guys!

[+ventura_kids]

That's it! Now get out there and find 9000 more

[+Trucker Lee]

Try this. Instead of walking straight to GZ, stop about 50 ft away, and pick a couple points near where you think the GPS is pointing. Then, walk sideways about 30 ft, and do this again. Now, go look around the area where all your landmarks come together for a place you would hide something.

 

Good luck.