Memoirs of a Newbie

[+cach2find]

During one of my recent caching excursions, I found myself hobbling back to my car with multiple blisters on my toes. As I reflected back on my day, I realized these experiences were just too good to keep to myself. So here I am...to share it with you and hopefully provide you with some entertainment. My 1st find about a week ago, went amazingly well. I couldn't wait to plan my 2nd trip and found a site that looked great , yet not too challenging....let's just say... I learned a lot and have some helpful hints to share.

 

1)Carefully read the description of the cache site, and follow the directions. If a waypoint is cited for a change in direction of travel, take note. Look at your GPS screen and find the waypoint. Don't go on a "gut feeling", although this does have some additional excitement value.

 

2)Look on your GPS screen far an arrow pointing towards a cache icon. If you don't see one or both, and you find yourself mumbling, "uuhh" of "hmmm", stop and rethink your strategy.

 

3) There's probably something that's gone amiss if you find yourself having to sort of jog down a steep trail for a good distance when the directions don't include that detail. If your a mountain goat, you'll do fine, but then what in the heck are you doing geocaching?

 

4) Invest in a quality pair of hiking boots, tennis shoes don't cut it.

 

You'll be relieved to know, that despite a few set backs...I trudged on more determined then ever to find my 2nd cache. No way in $#%^ was I leaving without finding it. My perseverance paid off. The view was incredible. So Newbies, if you find yourself getting discouraged, remember...hold your GPS high...you will conquer!

[+gh patriot]

 

 

 

 

Forrow your dreams and find that cache!!!

[+briansnat]

See, even newbs can give sage advice.

[+StarBrand]

Way to go!!

 

Sometimes the view makes it all worthwhile. The cache is just a bonus.

 

Good Advice.

[+entrio]

Get a hiking pole/walking stick. You don't have to spend a lot, but it will come in real handy!

[+cach2find]

So this geocaching bug apparently has bit me on the @&^ and affected all sense of obligation and reason. What do I do on my first regular day off work ? Go geocaching OF COURSE. Do I have responsibilties that I should be taking care of instead? OF COURSE. But...it was sooooo worth it. The 1st of 5 caches I found today was a micro. Not just any micro, but a nano. Didn't know there was such a thing, but there is. Apparently it's the smallest specimen of a micro...could there be anything smaller? No blisters this time...just sheer fun!

[+Driver Carries Cache]

Hey, I just did roughly the same thing. I picked up an easy roadside cache and the ol' Garmin told me "there's another only .2 miles away"! So I headed up a nearby fire road... up being the operative word, and hit my first switchback, and my second... So the cache was in fact only .2 miles away if you were FLYING! In that .2 mile distance I also gained 650 feet of elevation. So while I reached the cache, was treated to a gorgeous place with an amazing view (and would highly recommend it: "Above Sausalito": GCH4NW) only experience will tell you when you're standing at that trailhead what might be in store. But hey, that's why we love it!

 

Driver Carries Cache

(madmike)

[+Gadgetman!]

And that's why I wear Army boots and use a backpack for swag and tea...

(got a really nice, big steel thermos in there)

[+cach2find]

Found 8 out of 9 caches today-was out much longer than I had planned...I couldn't stop ...I kept telling myself, "Just one more", it's addicting! Out of curiosity, on the Venture CX, how would an experienced person program an autoroute, so it automatically directs them to the next closest cache? Let's just say, that the manual is as clear as mud and this newbie walked right past a cache site (and didn't even know it)

[+Fuchsiamagic]

Found 8 out of 9 caches today-was out much longer than I had planned...I couldn't stop ...I kept telling myself, "Just one more", it's addicting! Out of curiosity, on the Venture CX, how would an experienced person program an autoroute, so it automatically directs them to the next closest cache? Let's just say, that the manual is as clear as mud and this newbie walked right past a cache site (and didn't even know it)

 

There isn't anything that will send you to the next nearest cache as far as I know, but you can download all the caches along a pre-determined route from your Pocket Queries page on geocaching.com, load them into your GPSr and away you go!.

[+Miragee]

Found 8 out of 9 caches today-was out much longer than I had planned...I couldn't stop ...I kept telling myself, "Just one more", it's addicting! Out of curiosity, on the Venture CX, how would an experienced person program an autoroute, so it automatically directs them to the next closest cache? Let's just say, that the manual is as clear as mud and this newbie walked right past a cache site (and didn't even know it)

Are your downloading .gpx files? If so, the caches should be loading into your GPSr with the little treasure chest Geocache icon. When you hit "Found" after finding a cache, it will bring up the Next Nearest.

 

That said, sometimes the "Next Nearest" changes as the trail turns . . .

 

So, I always look at the Map page. I changed the Page order on my GPSr so when I start it, the Map is the first thing I see. I also eliminated the pages I don't need so I don't have to page through so many to get to the map.

 

On the map page, you can change the data fields to include the "Distance to Next" and "Navigation Arrow." That way you can be looking at the map and see the information you need to navigate to the cache.

Edited March 22, 2007 by Miragee

[+cach2find]

Thanks Miragee- that helped. I'm still trying to work with all the configurations, it takes a lot of time. I'm planning on figuring out pocket queries next, but it looks like I've got to get a PDA to go paperless. Looking for something simple...but aren't we all!

 

I didn't mention in my memoirs from yesterday, that I hit a brick wall...yes...my first DNF. It's taken me a whole day of contemplation and intense therapy to type out those 3 nasty letters Well, one thing that does make me feel a tad better is that there is a possibility that the owner's coordinates are off. I'm watching the site like a hawk to check for the next innocent newbie that hopefully will read the previous cachers logs warning of this...TO BE CONTINUED

[+aboud50]

Thanks Miragee- that helped. I'm still trying to work with all the configurations, it takes a lot of time. I'm planning on figuring out pocket queries next, but it looks like I've got to get a PDA to go paperless. Looking for something simple...but aren't we all!

 

I didn't mention in my memoirs from yesterday, that I hit a brick wall...yes...my first DNF. It's taken me a whole day of contemplation and intense therapy to type out those 3 nasty letters Well, one thing that does make me feel a tad better is that there is a possibility that the owner's coordinates are off. I'm watching the site like a hawk to check for the next innocent newbie that hopefully will read the previous cachers logs warning of this...TO BE CONTINUED

 

My first was a DNF also. But didn't get discouraged. Going out this weekend looking for more.

[+cach2find]

Luckily, I didn't experience the DNF blues until after after I'd found a few caches...otherwise it would have been heart wrenching. Today, was a day of success! Found some fantastic cache sites and got my hubby interested in it as well I'm adding some items to my caching experience:

 

1) poke-around-stick(helpful in avoiding sticking your hand into a clump of poison oak when the excitement of siting the cache overwhelms you...not that I actually did that

2) Extra writing utensils, pens do run out of ink

3) Camera ( to show living proof of how unbelievably fun this geocaching thing is and how it's eventually going to take over the world)

[+cach2find]

A flashlight!...one more item to add to my backpack. There I was... poking around underneath a huge tree that had fallen over a stream in a dark dense forest. The trunk was so big I could just about stand up in it. I was so desperate I was trying to use the brightest light setting on my GPS. Eventually my eyes adjusted, and BAM! There it was....my micro first FTF!!!! Love it!

[+Trucker Lee]

"Just one more", it's addicting!

 

NO KIDDING!!!!

 

Out of curiosity, on the Venture CX, how would an experienced person program an autoroute, so it automatically directs them to the next closest cache?

Try this...... waypoints, then nearest. Be sure to jot down the short name/code of each as you do it (along with a note or two to help you remember it when you log) if you aren't paperless yet. This will help with avoiding the same cache twice, or thrice.

[+cach2find]

Thanks for the advice Trucker Lee. It sounds so simple and I've done that before, but it's the sequence of buttons that still trips me up. I think it's a matter of really getting to know the functions of my GPS and being consistent with it. My saving grace is that I have an "Eagle Eye" so that even though I'm lame with my GPS, if I can get close to the site, I can usually find the cache...most likely a talent I was born with

[+TrailGators]

4) Invest in a quality pair of hiking boots, tennis shoes don't cut it.

Good advice. This is something that will save you from falling and really hurting yourself. Also tennis shoes will wear about 10x faster than hiking boots.

[+trooperdjb]

Found 8 out of 9 caches today-was out much longer than I had planned...I couldn't stop ...I kept telling myself, "Just one more", it's addicting! Out of curiosity, on the Venture CX, how would an experienced person program an autoroute, so it automatically directs them to the next closest cache? Let's just say, that the manual is as clear as mud and this newbie walked right past a cache site (and didn't even know it)

 

There isn't anything that will send you to the next nearest cache as far as I know, but you can download all the caches along a pre-determined route from your Pocket Queries page on geocaching.com, load them into your GPSr and away you go!.

 

Not true, on my 60 CSx if I've had it navigate to the cache instead of just walking until the coords match when I find the cache and hit the "Found" button the screen automatically pops up asking if I want the next nearest cache. At least the next nearest that's loaded. Note to self: Update pocket query before going caching and Download to GPS. Just printing out the caches leaves the find function a little short.

[+cach2find]

Since it's raining today, I decided to tackle the challenge of making myself "paperless". Proud to say that after spending about 5 hours- GSAK, my computer and I have somehow managed to get waypoints on my GPS! WWHHOOOO!!!!! For a person that is not intuitive with computers and complicated programs, this was a monumental task. Still waiting for my confirmation from Cachmate to get that on my Palm, couldn't be any more difficult for me than GSAK I'm sure . GSAK looks like an incredible program, is there a hard copy manual available? For my pocket query, I was sure to not check a lot of boxes, and requested 500 caches, but only received 72, how come?

[+Miragee]

Did you choose any attributes? I understand selecting for, or against, attributes might not be working as expected . . . I could be wrong about that, however . . .

 

I get 500 caches in all the PQs I have created to cover this "cache-rich" area.

 

I don't check very many boxes, although I check all cache types, except Unknown, because I don't want Puzzle caches in my Default GSAK database.

 

 

The "Unknown" caches go into a separate GSAK database and only go into the Default if I have the "Corrected Coordinates."

 

Here is a rudimentary GSAK tutorial that might be helpful.

 

Edit for typo . . .

Edited April 12, 2007 by Miragee

[+jsndrsn]

Thanks Miragee- that helped. I'm still trying to work with all the configurations, it takes a lot of time. I'm planning on figuring out pocket queries next, but it looks like I've got to get a PDA to go paperless. Looking for something simple...but aren't we all!

 

I didn't mention in my memoirs from yesterday, that I hit a brick wall...yes...my first DNF. It's taken me a whole day of contemplation and intense therapy to type out those 3 nasty letters Well, one thing that does make me feel a tad better is that there is a possibility that the owner's coordinates are off. I'm watching the site like a hawk to check for the next innocent newbie that hopefully will read the previous cachers logs warning of this...TO BE CONTINUED

 

I found a nice Palm Z22 on Ebay and got it for $51.00. Maybe try there?

 

John

[+Team Geo-Joes]

Thanks Miragee- that helped. I'm still trying to work with all the configurations, it takes a lot of time. I'm planning on figuring out pocket queries next, but it looks like I've got to get a PDA to go paperless. Looking for something simple...but aren't we all!

 

I didn't mention in my memoirs from yesterday, that I hit a brick wall...yes...my first DNF. It's taken me a whole day of contemplation and intense therapy to type out those 3 nasty letters Well, one thing that does make me feel a tad better is that there is a possibility that the owner's coordinates are off. I'm watching the site like a hawk to check for the next innocent newbie that hopefully will read the previous cachers logs warning of this...TO BE CONTINUED

 

Coords off, maybe???? Maybe not. Where did you look, Where did you NOT look. If you can see a place in your mind right now that you did not look in but it is in your mind, good chance its there. Look around, your gps will get you there, but not show you where its at. Look in the places you KNOW it is not and you will find it. Some people are devious as I learned in one I did last week.... PVC pipe screwed into a chain link fence cap. Oh ya, took a good while and a hint from an unusual source but I found it........

Edited April 16, 2007 by Team Geo-Joes

[+cach2find]

First time out after going paperless! Wow! What a difference. Had a blast and found lots of caches on a vacation weekend. Using GSAK and cachmate-couldn't be happier! GSAK is somewhat intimidating and I'm sure it can do way more than how I'm using it. Just need to play with it, but geeez that cuts into my caching time . Question...found several signature items. What's the deal with these? They travel, but on one site it said it was ok to keep them

[+Miragee]

Congrats on the paperless success! GSAK is an amazing program and after using it for two years, I am still discovering other things I can do with it.

 

Signature items are collected by some people -- like me . . . . As a cache owner, I have noticed when someone leaves a Signature Item and have gone out to retrieve it for my collection. A friend bought "sports card" vinyl pages to put in a three-ring binder to keep the signature items she trades for. As you have noticed, some are trackable on other sites. I think the owner might just want to know who has it.

[vtmtnman]

 

 

 

 

Forrow your dreams and find that cache!!!

 

[+Night Stalker]

I believe one of the evilist things that Garmin did was add the "find next closest" option on their GPS units. This has gotten me into more trouble...... How can I say NO. I have to hit that option. Next thing I know I have lost the whole day and I really was supposed to get those honey do's done today. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

 

[+Gadget_Cacher]

They need a "hide me from my significant other's wrath" button and a "give me a good excuse to be off work today" button

 

If any GPS company can develop that they would be the only GPS ever sold.

 

I am lucky though my geocaching partner is my girlfriend so that at least takes care of the first problem....now to somehow make geocaching a job that i can get paid for.....

Edited April 24, 2007 by chandljl