+Annie & PB Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 So, I was thinking today, am I still a newbie? Do you know? Are you still a newbie?? Do we have to have over a certain number of finds, or hides, or been caching a certain amount of days, or weeks, or months, or years. Or have a certain number of posts here, or be the one answering the newbie questions on this forum instead of asking them. Just a random discussion for a bit of fun I guess!!! (and hey, I might up my post count if that turns out to be important Annie Quote Link to comment
+El Diablo Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Good question. I'm sure there are many different opinions on the subject. I would think it's a combination of time spent caching (at least a year), number of caches found (at least 50 in todays caching world) and the number of hides (at least 5). Those numbers would give you a good overall perspective of caching. El Diablo Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Certainly a shifting target over time. Back in 2002 a cacher with 100 finds was a rare thing and a well seasoned experienced cacher. These days you can get to 100 easily within a few days or weeks after starting. I think you are still a newbie until you are comfortable going after most any hide, in most any terrain. Maybe after several months or more of caching near weekly. After travelling while caching, after caching in different seasons, after caching in different weather. After a hide or 2. After learning to use your GPS. After posting a few good DNF stories. Until you think you should be a newbie no more.......... Quote Link to comment
+Cedar Grove Seekers Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 So, I was thinking today, am I still a newbie? I'd say no, you're not a newbie. You've found 143 caches of various types, and planted 11 caches. That's pretty good. After we found about 40 caches, we then placed a couple, and no longer considered ourselves (nor felt like)newbies. Quote Link to comment
+JustKeely Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Our family just had this idea that we would no longer be newbies after 100 finds. It took us four or five months to get there. There are a lot of high numbers where we live, which is one reason we thought 100, and also that is the first "geoachievement" level in terms of finds they make coins for, right? After 500 we felt like "seasoned veterans", and now we are shooting for 1000 to feel like "old hats". Quote Link to comment
+tawlk Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Wow, I'm finally getting back into caching after 2-1/2 years off and I can't believe how everything has changed. I think it really depends on where you live. For example if there are only 50 caches in your area and you find all of them, wouldn't you consider that enough not to be a newbie? Then again, I just moved to VA and it seems like there are a lot of cachers out there with a lot of caches available. Back in the day, I would have thought newbie status would have been after 20 or so, but now I really don't know... IMO it really depends on what YOU think. This is more of an individual game anyway. When do you think you are ready to classify yourself as something other than a newbie? Don't get me wrong, it is nice to meet other cachers on the hunt every now and then, but I enjoy the hunt and solitude of exploring parks in a new area. Anyway, just my $0.02. Happy Caching!!! Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 You are a newbie everytime you are confronted with a cache hide that you haven't seen before. At some point those get fairly rare and you become an oldbie. Quote Link to comment
+WRASTRO Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 We found 100 caches in our first year, after which we didn't feel like newbies anymore. After 500 finds we felt like "real" cachers. Now we just love being cachers (mostly George). It is a great game and hobby. Quote Link to comment
+Seasoned Warrior Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I think its interesting to note that al most all of the answers included numbers as the basis for graduating from newbiedom. I have to agree with so many others that this has become all about the numbers. I think that the lenght of time one is a newbie depends on how much one brings to the table when they start. If a person has an extensive background in navigating outdoors they are som much closer to not being a newbie than the person who has never done anything remotely close in the out of doors. I see questions here that are extremely basic and then there are others who just go about finding caches, how can one say that you are a newbie until you find 100 caches. I think that the answer is extremely complicated and I think it was Starbrand who said that you are a newbies as long as you think you are. I think there comes a point in everyones game when they know that they are no longer newbies and when that happens thats when you stop being one, at least in my opinion. Quote Link to comment
ao318 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I have done just over 100 finds with my children. We are getting ready to do a couple of hides. As stated earlier in the post, I think its all is relative to your experiences and the hunts you have gone on. I live near the American river in Sacramento and prefer to search for larger caches along the river battling terrain, trees, bugs, PO, and my two Golden Retrievers running amok. I kinda stink at micro caches but have done a few of them. My kids like to do Park caches so we they can play on the play structures when we are done looking. I still consider myself a newbie because most of our finds have been the traditional cache type. We are now just trying out a few of the mystery, some are easy and some I have no idea how to figure out and am amazed at the people that do, and multi caches. I am also still suprised at some of the hiding places that we discover that at first did not find on our first visit to a site. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 You're no longer a newbie when you no longer feel like a newbie. Quote Link to comment
+Segerguy Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Ahhhhh.......Grasshopparr....your journey is only as old as when it begins....Hmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
+Ed & Julie Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 When you answer more questions in the forums than you ask, you are no longer a n00b. Quote Link to comment
+Annie & PB Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 Thanks for your comments and discussion guys!! It's interesting to see a range of points of view. Hope the discussion can continue. What I think about our newbie status is: In terms of the practical side (finds, hides, outdoor experience) we are no longer newbies. As someone said, it depends how much previous outdoor experience you bring to the game -- amongst other things --- and as we do have a certain level of outdoor experience that was a great help. As far as the computer/technology side -- well, still struggling newbies! But learning quickly. (We have a Palm now NOT a PalmPilot!!! LOL!!!) And as for the puzzles that require you to have advanced WWII code breaking skills ---- we'll be newbies for the rest of our lives at the present rate of progress. Quote Link to comment
+joranda Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 We are all still learning so we are newbies every now and then. Quote Link to comment
+mvigor Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 You are a newbie everytime you are confronted with a cache hide that you haven't seen before. At some point those get fairly rare and you become an oldbie. YES You're no longer a newbie when you no longer feel like a newbie. YES We are all still learning so we are newbies every now and then. YES There is no magic number. Quote Link to comment
+TexasGringo Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 ***am I still a newbie?*** You are a GeoCacher...Stand Tall and Be Proud. Quote Link to comment
+elmuyloco5 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Our state group commemorates when someone has hit 200 found. So for our area, this seems to be the number. We're not up to that yet, although we're close. Quote Link to comment
+Markwell Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I kind of thought of it like this... I purcahsed the GPS, purchased the computer cable, spent months figuring out pocket queries and coordinate conversions and solving all manner of puzzles. Then one day I went out caching and had looked at the location on Terraserver ahead of time. The cache could only be in one location. I left the GPS in the car, hiked on the trail and walked right up to the cache. THAT was the day I felt like I wasn't a newbie anymore. Quote Link to comment
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