Finding (sub)urban Geocaches

[Justice77Cat]

Hi, I hope this hasn't been asked already. I'm very new to geocaching and have logged just one find before! As I am borrowing a GPS currently, I try to stick to 1/1.5 caches that are near my suburban home. Most of the ones we have searched for have been in parks or parking lots.

 

Here's my problem. We read directions on all of these before we went, made sure they'd been successfully found recently, etc. Then we get there and can't find them. I'm well aware that you need to have a broad search area and that the point can be up to 50 ft off. I once searched an entire (huge) parking lot for well over an hour because we couldn't locate it anywhere near the coordinates.

 

Which brings me to the question. Obviously, as that one had been located just the day before, it WAS there and I just had no idea what kind of place to look. There weren't a whole lot of good hiding spots I was aware of in the area, and I realize it was probably a mini cache (not usually a good starting point but hey, I only have so many choices right now!) So I was wondering if someone could either post or message me some suggestions on places to look in a parking lot or carefully manicured park--or even just a small hint to preserve the "game". I have tried looking under the caps on light poles, under bushes, in trees, in between the concrete and the dirt...no luck. I'd LOVE a hint as to what kind of locations to look in when the hider suggests using tweezers as I can't wrap my head around that at all.

 

Thanks a bunch if anyone can help me.

[+Team_CSG]

When it is suggested to bring tweezers, this means that you are dealing with a very small micro (nano). You will need the tweezers to remove the log from the container. The type of container is probably magnetic and could be on a sign or sign post. If i new the GC number, I could review the listing and offer additional suggestions.

 

Enjoy

Edited June 9, 2007 by arthurat

[+Y2KOTA]

Coming form a fairly newbie here.... It takes time to learn the tricks. Don't get worked up over one cache to a point where its not fun any more!! There's a few I've gone back to more times I want to fess up to, Yet there's a few that I still can't find. Read the logs deeply, some people will leave very very very sutel hints. Sometimes not.

 

Bottom line............ Have fun!!

[+Miragee]

When I was new, I logged four DNFs one day for caches owned by the same people. They sent me hints, and pictures, since I didn't know that fence post caps lifted up and could hide containers, nor did I know you could make a fake rock look just like all the other rocks in the area.

 

A cache owner should be willing to extend a generous hint to a new cacher.

[+Y2KOTA]

I went through this thread page by page to see up I was up against and check back to it often

 

Cool Cache Containers (CCC's), If you post them....They will look

[+T F T C]

I have a few photos up that I took of a nano. Take a peek - it really helps to know what you're looking for.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/chimbisimo/Geo...203124406500914

[+michigansnorkelers]

Micros are often magnetic. Key holders are common. If you lifted up a parking lot skirt, did you look UP under the skirt to see if there was a key holder there? Mirrors come in very handy.

 

In trees and bushes, look for green or camoflagued containers. I've run into small containers, about the diameter of a large straw, wired to the TOP of a branch out of eyesight.

[Justice77Cat]

Thank you all so much! My one find was pill-bottle sized and it never occurred to me that they could go smaller... I will retry those two I couldn't locate. I will definitely not be giving up!

[+Knight2000]

Maybe i missed this...

 

If it is in a parking lot, did you lift the cover at the base of the pole? Some have a cover that some people do not know is removable.