Your First Cache

[+reptlcal]

Tell me your first cache story.

[Stephen2]

Went to the coords looking for a cache. I found a micro instead. I didnt know about the sizes. It took less than a minute.

[+simpjkee]

My mom told me about geocaching so 4 days later I borrowed my dad's gps and drove a 1/4 mile down the road, parked, walked about 8 feet, and found it in a dug out part up under a sidewalk.

 

"Par For The Course"

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Ah, yes. It was the cheap and simple design that kept sending me back to the store for more materials. I ended up spending several times more on the construction than I thought I would. Then I spent the remainder of the hundred bucks I had budgeted on swag, just barely fitting it all in. After that, we had a disagreement on when to place the cache. I wanted to place this thing in the dark of night, so all the neighbors wouldn't see me hauling this monster out into the bushes. My wife insisted that we follow the rules and not be there after dark. So we got up before the crack of dawn and drove out there, just in time to enter the area at the break of day. It was very exciting. Before the day was over, we'd already received a few finds. Then someone noted that there was a homeless person's tent just a few feet away, which we hadn't seen because of the foliage. Very carefully, we moved it a good distance away and updated the coordinates.

 

I lost quite a bit of sleep over that cache. As a result, I was making all sorts of mistakes at work. I figure I blew about three days worth of work, counting the work it took to fix the mistakes. At first, I checked on it once a week. Then I feared that I would create a trail leading to it, so I limited myself to once a month. I discovered that the dead foliage that I had used to cover up the edges had disintegrated or been trampled, leaving it fairly obvious-looking. I realized then the need to pick and choose what dead stuff to use.

 

Lately, though, I hardly ever think of it. It's gotten to that point where I don't think it will get muggled for a long long time, and there aren't enough finds to make me think about it much anymore.

Edited June 24, 2007 by nonaeroterraqueous

[+Theseus]

Funny you should ask. I found my first cache on March 9, 2002 and I may never know for sure but going back and looking at the logs it appears as though I was actually FTF on my very first find . I didn't realize this possibility until years later.

[+Ambrosia]

Is this first cache found, or first cache placed?

[+Bad_CRC]

Went to the coords looking for a cache. I found a micro instead. I didnt know about the sizes. It took less than a minute.

 

and you kept geocaching anyway?

 

 

my first find was a regular cache under a log in a park I had hiked though many times. It was a great hike on a beautiful day in an area I was familiar with. I found the cache with a fancy "official geocache" sticker on it, signed the log book, and generally was intrigued at how this could have existed right next to where I had walked so many times before. been hooked ever since.

[vtmtnman]

Is this first cache found, or first cache placed?

OP wasn't specific,so ladies' choice...

[+TrailGators]

Went to the coords looking for a cache. I found a micro instead. I didnt know about the sizes. It took less than a minute.

and you kept geocaching anyway?

Mine was a regular in a park about 8 miles from my house. I brought my youngest son and his friend along. We had a lot of fun!

[+Ambrosia]

Is this first cache found, or first cache placed?

OP wasn't specific,so ladies' choice...

Both?

[+Hose502]

I'm in the process of going back and refactoring my log entries to be more descriptive because I think they will be really fun to read back years from now. I have barely started but I did redo the entry for my first cache. This is what I currently have for it:

 

-- Entry --

I was reading digg at work this Friday when I came across a link to the geocaching website. I couldn't think of what geocaching could be so I followed the link and was surprised at what I found. People hide caches, upload coordinates to the website, and others go and find these caches. I had been trying to find an activity to get me outside and I realized that this might be it.

 

Of course, I wanted to try and find a cache this weekend. I walked down the hall to see if Saurabh would let me borrow the GPSr. He works for the group I used to work for--the Global Land Cover Facility. He tried to tell me that he couldn't remember where it was but I walked right over to the cabinet and picked it up. It is an old unit by today's standard and could only connect to a computer through an old-style serial port which meant that I would have to enter the coordinates manually. I'm not sure how I worked with geographers for so long without hearing about this geocaching thing.

 

The batteries were completely dead. When I opened up the cover to replace the batteries, I saw that they were the cheezy, no-name brand type that you usually get "free" when you buy something that needs batteries. I wondered if I was the only one at the GLCF who actually used the thing.

 

I decided to simply find one cache on Saturday. That morning I stepped outside to get the coordinates of where I live, entered that into the geocaching website, and ran a query to see what was close. I was shocked when the first page of results was full of caches within 3 miles. I was expecting to see two or three caches for the entire Laurel area. I cut-and-pasted the coordinates of the nearest cache into Google Maps and saw that it was in the shopping center down the street. Seriously?

 

I drove over there and it pointed to a small area of trees next to where the new Panera Bread was going to be. I was worried there would be too many people around to search but it seemed clear. There weren't many construction workers around and no real reason for other shoppers to be over there. I jumped out of the car, searched around for it, and then I spotted it. A small prescription pill bottle. This was exciting!

 

I opened up the cache to find a small beaner key chain and the log sheet. I was amazed at how many entries there were. This activity was bigger than I ever imagined and I couldn't believe that all these people visited a cache that I pass by every time I go grocery shopping. Being my first find, I had to take a picture of the cache, the log sheet, the cache contents, and a point of view from the cache site.

 

I went home and logged my find. Later in the day I saw that someone else found it that day and said that the container had been muggled. I wasn't sure who was there first, so I revisited that night to make sure it was intact, and it was. I got scared that I may have botched the rehide or was seen by others on my very first cache. I'm glad that wasn't the case.

 

That one cache was enough to get me interested in the hobby. I didn't need to borrow the GPSr anymore, I was ready to buy one. Did all the research, placed the order, and it arrived before the next weekend.

-- End --

 

I hope you enjoyed that.

[+jbiciolis91]

I was on my local FFA(Future Farmers of America) camping trip we take evry year and one of my teachers and his wife brought their gps and one day when a couple of buddies and I were about to go on this hike down this creek that I make it a point to go on every time I am at the location. Well we were right about to take off and my teacher said: Wait up we are heading that way too. So while we were walking to the area where we start our hike the teacher and his wife were telling me about this thing called geocaching and how its alot of fun and another good reason to go hiking. He then said that one was back where I usually take my hike, so they tagged along and we got about 20 feet away from the cache and my teacher told me to find it. Well sure enough, within three minutes I found it. We took some pictures and he told me about the website and I should do it and here I am today.

[+genegene]

I do think this is a repeat of another thread but I don't care . Well it all started about in July of 06, I was looking around E-bay for GPS units to use in the woods when I went for my walks. While looking around I saw a thread about this game called Geocaching and started to read it. About half way through that was probably a really cool game and had to try it. For the next 7 mo. I through the word out to the family that I really wanted a GPS unit and had found the one I wanted, to no avail. Then on my 30th B-day I was handed the money and told "go get it and leave us alone" so off I went the very next day. It was about 9:30 in the morning when I stopped into the store that I was going to buy it from and to my surprise they were closed for inventory, well now i was very Pi*# off. I dropped the misses off at work and headed of to the next store that carried GPS units. You have got to be kidding me, this is all you have?, I said to the sails clerk, "yup" he replied, so off I went to the next store. I'm going to the mall, I know there has to be a store that has one that I will want! I walk into the big electronics chain figuring that there is no way this store wont have one I just need to pick out witch one I want. Excuse me, can you tell me where the GPS units are? sure can there right over here! As we walked over to a little display and looked I said "No the handhelds" he proceeded to give me the dear in the head light look, "I'm sorry, we don't carry handhelds, they don't sell that good". I looked right at him and said "I wonder why? Do you think it has something to do with the fact that nobody thinks you guys wood carry them because of other stores in the chain not selling them" and turned around and walked away. Store #3 was all out of the one I wanted (Garmin GPSMap60) but was more then willing to sell me the upgraded version for 200 bucks more. Forget it I'll wait till tomorrow. The next day roles around and I get up and ready to go and am out the door at 9:15am in the morning headed to the store, today is the day. URGH they don't open up until 11am. "This day is not starting off good" along with some other choice words I udder under my breath. I do some other shopping in town while I'm waiting, and at 11:00am on the dot I'm at the door. I walk in and proceed to look at the GPS units again and tell the click that I had called a week ago and one of them recommended the Map60, He remembered me right away and proceeded to retrieve it off the shelf and go over it with me and tell me the different features and other Questions I had about it. Handed over the money and out I went with a new GPS. Get all the way home and what did I forget BATERIES !!!!! off to the store I go again. Now home, I read the manual and start to play. What the He** does this mean? I need to set this? do that ? URGH!!!! Cant I just turn this stupid thing on and find out where I am? The whole next day was spent figuring out the map60 and all the buttons. Now on the morning of march 1st, 2007 I download the cords to my first cache. Cool .3 mi. from my house. Cra*, It snowed again, there's like 2 ft. of snow out in them woods. I think there is a pair of kids plastic snow shoes in the shed. Well size 13 boots don't fit in size 8 fittings, D*m. Guess I'm going at this one by foot. Off I go through 2 to 3 1/2 ft. snow drifts, what the heck, no signal? Well I think I know where the container is, I'm going for it. Yes signal, hay that's not North, that way is, stupid GPS. Man this gear is heavy in the snow. Yes there it is, Almost there. WOAH!!! down I go on my butt, Fell over the rock wall that the cache was hidden in. Not Cool. Now to look for the container. Ha ha, Found it, my first cache. Did a little trading and signed the log. Now to back track out of here. Great!!! snowing again, just what I need. Well after Making the 45 minn. trek back to the house, I was tiered. Took off the wet and heavy clothes and jumped in the shower. Went online and filled out the log. A normal 10 minn. walk to the cache with out snow turned into 2 hour hike round trip. This year I swear that I'm going to get a pair of snow shoes. FIRST CACHE: The Easter Bunny Cache, GCTZF1 FOUND: March 1, 2007

[+reptlcal]

Funny you should ask. I found my first cache on March 9, 2002 and I may never know for sure but going back and looking at the logs it appears as though I was actually FTF on my very first find . I didn't realize this possibility until years later.

Well Eather there both exciting

[+reptlcal]

My first cache was when I was looking for snakes I found a Black painted jug on accicedent. I also got my first TB that way!

[crtrue]

My first cache -found- was a visitor center keyholder stuck underneath a park bench. I looked for thirty minutes, having not yet honed my Geocaching sixth sense for common hide spots. Finally, there was a little container with the words "DANGER - BLACK WIDOW TRAP" on it. I didn't want to touch it, until I noticed a "GCXXXX" note underneath that -- something I distinctly remembered from the website. I propped it open, found a log book and a Canadian dime, and just did a little dance.

 

My first cache -hidden- was actually my third. I had found two other places, but was still a bit fresh, and they were denied due to lack of permission. I was burnt-up at this point and wanted to find a place so badly...what's this, a public boatdock hidden right downtown?....hmmm....

 

I placed a small first aid canister in a large patch of ruffage, assured that it was hard to identify, and went from there. I actually visited the cache later the next day, so paranoid about it being stolen (I wasn't aware of how little people generally ruffle around ruffage) and just happened to run into two of the most prolific cachers in the area, rambling about with sticks, prodding every piece of vegetation they could find. It was encouraging, because up until this point, Geocaching had just been this thing that I did alone -- people, who are like me, and aren't crazy! Neat!

 

I've placed a few more since this, learned a lot, gotten much better at hiding than finding, etc....and I'm still in awe of my early caching days

[+sunrise searcher]

Honestly -- one of my favorite caches and a great intro to geocaching! Thanks for the cache!

 

I don't know how to link to the cache, but here is its description, along with my log.

 

GCP9RH

The Proposal

by Graydon Harn

 

You don’t need a 4x4, but a vehicle with clearance is a good idea on the forest road. Turn off of Highway 14 onto county road 63E (Pingree Park turn off). Turn Right onto Crown Point Road. This will be your first right. Then follow the first Right turn Forest Service Road up a small valley. It’s a beautiful area with lots of roads to explore. A Left had turn is what you’ll need.

 

This cache is an ammo box. It contains Toy jewelry, dinosaurs, puzzles and log book. I used this cache to propose to my girlfriend. A leopard skin box hid the engagement ring. So, please leave the box, but feel free to trade other “jewels” using this box.

 

My log:

 

My first cache and WOW, what a perfect one to start with! It was a beautiful drive in with SPECTACULAR views from the cache. I got some great photos. We saw elk and deer sign everywhere. The cache was well-hidden, but not difficult to find after arriving. The directions given are excellent, btw. My husband, daughter and myself were on a belated 5th anniversary trip (our anniversary was in April). My 3-year-old daughter was VERY excited about the view, about the cache, etc... There was snow on the peaks to the west, snowflakes were falling gently at the cache location, and heavy clouds were rolling in. The sun peeked out for a moment. My hubby and I enjoyed an "anniversary" hug and kiss and I took photos of my daughter with the cache. I am 32 weeks pregnant with our son, so I appreciated the short hike. We had planned to camp near Rand, CO, and liked the view from this cache so much that we ended up camping about 1/8 mile directly below the cache. We loved the area and will be back often. We took a pink ring and the compass for my daughter, and a postcard for me. We left a buffalo nickel and a buffalo quarter (from my daughter) and a bookmark (from me). CITO, TFTC! We are hooked!

Edited June 24, 2007 by sunrise searcher