The Neophyte

[+Gipsie]

Hi, everyone. My name is Gipsie and I am very new to this hobby. I wanted to do everything the right way so I went out and bought an Etrex Legend with a PC interface and a cigarette lighter power source. I was anxious to get going so, having trouble with my PC, I just took the GPS and tried to follow the coordinates for two local caches. I found the right area for one and bombed out on the other. I didn't find the cache at either. So I figured I would do some more research. I went home, hooked up my laptop and learned how to download coordinates to my GPS. I did that and when it stopped raining, I tried again. Found both locations, but no caches. What am I doing wrong? I am thinking that maybe I don't really know what I am looking for because I am too green. I really want to learn how to do this; I have had so much fun just looking. There are so many caches in my area plus I like to travel and take day trips, so there is a world of possibilities out there for me. I promise that if I learn how to find them, I will hide some of the best caches in South Jersey!! If anyone wants to give me some advice, I am all ears!!!!!!! Now I am going to learn how to hook up this site with my PPC so I can eliminate the paper and maybe buy a hiking stick!

Edited October 29, 2006 by gipsie

[cliff_hanger]

Hi, everyone. My name is Gipsie and I am very new to this hobby. I wanted to do everything the right way so I went out and bought an Etrex Legend with a PC interface and a cigarette lighter power source. I was anxious to get going so, having trouble with my PC, I just took the GPS and tried to follow the coordinates for two local caches. I found the right area for one and bombed out on the other. I didn't find the cache at either. So I figured I would do some more research. I went home, hooked up my laptop and learned how to download coordinates to my GPS. I did that and when it stopped raining, I tried again. Found both locations, but no caches. What am I doing wrong? I am thinking that maybe I don't really know what I am looking for because I am too green. I really want to learn how to do this; I have had so much fun just looking. There are so many caches in my area plus I like to travel and take day trips, so there is a world of possibilities out there for me. I promise that if I learn how to find them, I will hide some of the best caches in South Jersey!! If anyone wants to give me some advice, I am all ears!!!!!!! Now I am going to learn how to hook up this site with my PPC so I can eliminate the paper and maybe buy a hiking stick!

 

I'll put these first because you sound anxious to get out and find some.

You didn't say what type of caches you were looking for. But, it's best to start with traditional (not multi, not micro, not puzzle caches) and of ammo box size. They are easier to find.

Your GPS will only get you into the "general vacinity" Once you get to ground zero, look in about a 30' radius.

 

If you can wait, see if you can get an experienced cacher to take you along on a cache or two. There must be a group in the Atlantic City area. There might be a group outing scheduled. Try here or here

 

and welcome to the obsession......

[+Cedar Grove Seekers]

Welcome to geocaching. I'll also add that once you get in the vicinity (10' - 20') then put your GPS away and start looking for spots where a cache might be hidden. Also decrypt the hints, these will help too.

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

Welcome to geocaching. I'll also add that once you get in the vicinity (10' - 20') then put your GPS away and start looking for spots where a cache might be hidden. Also decrypt the hints, these will help too.

 

I'll add that when you are out caching always look around with details..... A tell tale sign is a pile of rocks, things like wood neatly stacked, things that are out of place, look out of place, and just are not quite right!

 

We searched 5 times for one cache, it was a standard size, we had 8 of us there to search, we couldnt find it, believed it didnt exist, we watched the logs, and then saw some activity saying they had found it........

 

Went back AGAIN after reading all the logs, determined to find it..... and there it was, the one spot where we didnt quite get down low enough to see it!!! It was right under our noses all the time!

 

In rocks/heavily timbered areas, search from all angles, it could be in a little hollow with some rocks or sticks over the top, but you can almost always bet that if you get at the right angle you will spot a part of the cache that doesnt blend in with the surrounds! (happened to us yesterday while searching a blue metal rock wall, just had to get the right angle)

 

Good luck, and happy geocaching!

[+Chuy!]

Each cache is rated by difficulty and terrain level. For newbies, stick with 1- and 1.5- star difficulty caches for your first dozen or so. The terrain rating caches will depend on your physical level. Although if you find yourself in the city on level ground and the terrain rating is 2.5+ stairs, chances are you need to climb something or go underground.

 

Keep us posted.

[+briansnat]

As others pointed out, don't rely too much on your GPS when you get to the cache site. The cache could be 30, 40 or more feet from where your GPS is telling you it is. When I'm 40 feet away I put down my GPS and start searching. Look for something out of place first. Something like an unnatural pile of rocks or sticks. Next check any hollow trees, rock crevices and alongside down trees (especially where the branches split from the trunk. If you come up empty pick up your GPS and see what it says. Sometimes it might be telling you to try a different spot after it settles a while.

 

Also for starters stick with regular sized caches and leave the small and micros for later once you have some experience.

Edited October 30, 2006 by briansnat

[+Gipsie]

Thanks to everyone for your answers. I will be trying again this weekend! Wish me luck

[+bish0p]

Thanks to everyone for your answers. I will be trying again this weekend! Wish me luck

 

Good luck. and don't give up, I like you got my GPSr home, download a couple of caches and was off, I too did not find any of them (for that matter one of the two I still have not found and have been back many times). But determined I set off the next day, and found a couple. and have not had a day since that I have not had at least one find.

 

What I find the most helpful is knowing what size of container I am looking for, so that I can narrow the possibilities down to places that the container could fit. Micro's like a Bison Tube or smaller should be avoided until you have a couple of finds under your belt, as they are so small they can almost hide in/on/under anything.

 

Multi's can be good to get the practice of entering co-ords in the field, but play with the GPS or have the manual with you as many will have things like projected waypoints etc, that is not covered int he quick start guide.

 

Once you get a couple of finds under your belt you can start to see where they are most likely hidden, one other tell tail sign if the cache has been there for a bit is all the broken branches or new path leading to it.

[+bish0p]

Thanks to everyone for your answers. I will be trying again this weekend! Wish me luck

 

I forgot one thing... GPXsonar on my PPC/Phone makes paperless caching effortless.

Edited October 31, 2006 by bish0p

[+Gipsie]

Thanks to everyone for your answers. I will be trying again this weekend! Wish me luck

 

I forgot one thing... GPXsonar on my PPC/Phone makes paperless caching effortless.

 

 

Thanks, bish0p and once again, everyone else. I am going to do a little this weekend and hope I find something. But I gotta tell ya, just sneaking through the woods and parks is a blast!

[winston24]

Good luck! Just remember to use your gut instincts. You should have no problems then.

[+pandaphil]

God luck gipsie! We all have good and bad caching days (speaking from personal experience) so don't let it get you down.

 

You might also want to check maps of your general area. My first find was located about a black and a half from my house. Been hooked ever since.