Cart before the horse? Hide your cache then label it?

[+savvysteve]

Ok. I am new to geocaching. I have found 21 caches and have a couple I have tried to find several times and other that are DNFs probably muggled. I am ready to hide my first cache, have an ammo can, swag, a Travel Bug, label, the whole nine.

 

I want to label the cache with the GC.com identifier as well as the log book. I think I understand all the rules about hiding the cache and know about where I am going to hide it. But a couple of things are kind of odd to me being a noob.

 

1. But what seems odd is that I hide the cache and post it which then gives me the ID right? So I have to go back to label it correctly? What am I leaving out?

 

2. If I haven't found every cache and multi cache in an area much less the city where I live then how in the heck am I supposed to know if I am hiding my cache too close to part of a multi? My crystal ball is broken as we say in my family.

 

Please help this noob understand.

 

Regards,

 

Steven

[+Cardinal Red]

Hi Steven. Even though you are not ready to complete the form yet, submit a request to generate a new cache page. Fill out as much of the form as you can. Before you submit the partially completed form make sure to UNCHECK this box: Yes, this cache is currently active (Reviewers will not see this listing unless box is checked). This will give you time to work on the details. Get the GC number off the page. Hide your cache. Edit the cache page and now check the box I mentioned above. This will put your hide in the que to be reviewed.

Edited October 9, 2007 by Cardinal Red

[+StarBrand]

1 - I've never really seen this as an issue - I just label the cache with the "friendly" name and don't worry about the GC number until the next time I visit.

 

2 - Generally you only need to worry about puzzle and multicaches within 2 miles or so of your proposed location. Do those. Or - find an area that as no multis nearby. Generally - all puzzles are within 2 miles of the bogus coordinates and most multi's are found within walking distance of the start. It is a good rule-of-thumb.

 

BTW - be sure to cover over the miltary markings of the ammo can and read and re-read the guidelines before you hide it to be sure it will fully comply.

 

Good Luck - have fun!!

[+palmetto]

Hi savvysteve - Cardinal Red's post tells you how to get your GCxxxxx number now, even though you haven't hidden a cache. But there's another advantage to filling in that form, but leaving it unchecked (not active, not on queue).

 

You can email your local reviewer (name on the bottom of any nearby cache as having posted the Published log) and ask them to look at your inactive cache coordinates. If there are puzzle or multi coords (or other land manager issues) you can learn that immediately. The same thing would happen if you place the cache and go ahead and submit it, but by asking in advance, you can know before you go to a lot of trouble with special camo or a special write up for that spot. If the reviewer says it's good, then you can get busy dressing up the cache page and the cache placement.

[+briansnat]

1 - I've never really seen this as an issue - I just label the cache with the "friendly" name and don't worry about the GC number until the next time I visit.

 

I generally don't worry about either. I usually don't choose a cache name until I get home to list it. The only time I'll know the GC# in advance is if I had an extra cache page "laying around" and I used that.

 

Generally people know which cache they are hunting, so putting its name or GC# inside really isn't critical. I guess the only time it would really come in handy is if a non geocacher accidentally discovered it and wanted to find out more about it, or log it.

[+savvysteve]

Thanks for all the help. I got my cache page going right now and got a cache ID and I'm all set. I wanted to label the outside of my cache to make sure not to cause alarm in the chance event someone found it accidentally. Just the other day I found an ammo box used as a cache that had "blasting caps" on it along with other original writing. In the world we live in today IMHO there is no need in that... plus you have a lot of people who might be quick to raise an alarm.

 

Thanks to all for the input.

[+palmetto]

Someone just found an ammo can of mine opened and scattered on the trail.

It had the standard note, and the GCxxxx number in the log book.

They contacted Groundspeak with the GCxxxxx number and Groundspeak forwarded that to my player account. I just got off the phone with the very nice man who took the time to make that contact and hold onto my ammo can. I suspect without the GCxxxx number it would have been too difficult for him to ever return it to me. Pretty neat.

[+Fogtripper]

Someone just found an ammo can of mine opened and scattered on the trail.

It had the standard note, and the GCxxxx number in the log book.

They contacted Groundspeak with the GCxxxxx number and Groundspeak forwarded that to my player account. I just got off the phone with the very nice man who took the time to make that contact and hold onto my ammo can. I suspect without the GCxxxx number it would have been too difficult for him to ever return it to me. Pretty neat.

 

Well, it's rather sucktastic that the cache is known by someone who would do that, and won't really be "safe" again. Do you plan to replant it or archive the cache?

[+palmetto]

The cache is a longish hike. I'll replant and hope for the best.