10 things

[+va griz]

On the 20th of December I found my first cache. So it’s my three month anniversary of following the little electronic arrow. Considering there are many folks here that have 20 times that experience, I am hardly a veteran at the game. But I thought I would list what I know that I didn’t before I started this game/sport/hobby/preoccupation/pastime/ whatever. And I’m hoping others can share their greater experience and tell what they have learned too.

 

1. Only trust your GPS to get you to the ball park, then concentrate on the ball.

2. One mistake on the coordinates will put you off by one street, park, county, or state, depending on where the error is.

3. Much of the landscape that I thought was deserted is visited every day by somebody.

4. A lot of times people see what they EXPECT to see instead of what’s there.

5. Many containers that I thought were waterproof will get wet inside.

6. Even with frozen stiff fingers, I can now roll up a tiny strip of paper in a wind storm.

7. Geocachers know more about lampposts than 95 percent of the population.

8. If my area is any indication, for every park the locals know about there are three more that they didn’t know were there.

9. Sometimes you can see the micro before you park, and sometimes you can trip over the ammo can and still not see it.

10. If you aren’t having fun geocaching it’s your own fault.

 

What have you learned?

[+Renegade Knight]

...What have you learned?

 

You are a wise nOOb.

I never did realize that we cacher just "know things about lamp posts". It's a new spin on an old debate.

[+Biggi_H]

11. You`ll NEVER come home as clean as you have gone before.

12. The hiding place is never ever marked with an X

13. Sometimes a 4/4 is easier to find than a 1/1

14. 5 plastic bags takes a Cache not cleaner than one good Box.

[+va griz]

You are a wise nOOb.

 

I feel as if I have just snatched the pebble from your hand.

[+StarBrand]

Never tell your wife you will be back "in under 20 minutes" - when the cache is .2 miles away. Double or triple the estimate.

 

My employer tolerates semi-muddy shoes after lunch better than I would have thought.

 

There are more roads out there than I used to see.

[+PrincessBTigress]

You may think you know the area inside and out, but you don't

 

Micros will prove to you that your eyes are not as good as you think

 

That stranger you are passing in the park, may have more in common with you then you realize.

 

Some caches can be found without a gps, some caches can't be found even with a gps

 

 

I only started caching December 28, 2007 though I had heard of it for a couple years from friends in other countries. Having only heard about it from friends in other countries I never thought about it being in this country, when I finally decided to see if there were any vaugely near me I was shocked to find about 100 just here in my small town. I was very amazed to find there were caches hid in places that I visited every week but never knew anything secret was there.

[+Snake & Rooster]

Do not back into that parking spot at the local park.

[+BlueDeuce]

When you think it's time to bushwhack go down the trail a little ways first. You might find a better way in.

[+van der Decken]

Some days you get the cache, some days the cache gets you.

[+JohnTee]

When you think it's time to bushwhack go down the trail a little ways first. You might find a better way in.

 

The corollary to this is . . .

 

Most geocachers are pretty lazy and don't want to bust a bunch of brush.

 

Cache On!

 

JohnTee

[+TeamGumbo]

- always carry a pen

 

- nothing is waterproof in Florida

 

- don't let the search obscure the view

[+va griz]

don't let the search obscure the view

 

Hey! I like that, thanks.

[+Thrak]

Even if you were careful there was still some poison oak that you didn't see

 

If you cache in the dark and then have to pee don't be surprised when you find poison oak in unfortunate places

[+oldsoldier]

When you think it's time to bushwhack go down the trail a little ways first. You might find a better way in.

 

My spin on that one; you will inevitably find the trail AFTER the cache.

[+Zolgar]

No matter how weird you may look.

No matter how strange what you're doing may seem to someone looking at you.

People will ignore your existence.

 

*learned while sitting next to a store, with my bike, idly signing a log I'd just snagged from it's sign.*

 

when you gut says "you can't make it from this approach". Listen to it. Either find another way, or write the cache off for now.

[+gof1]

Do not back into that parking spot at the local park.

 

Sounds like someone has a story to tell.

[+gof1]

Thorn bearing shrubbery has a longer reach than I do.

As the crow flies only works for crows.

The creek is ALWAYS one inch deeper than your boots are tall.

Insects have the "Strength in numbers" thing down pat.

[+geos of the jungle]

What have you learned?

- Check for ticks, regardless of the time of year.

- Group caching is a blast.

- Search primarily with your eyes to minimize impact on landscape around GZ.

- Be aware of local hunting regulations.

- There is a waterfall in my town!

- How valuable a compass is.

[+palser]

I'm always on the wrong side of the canal.

 

I have gotten used to seeing my DNA.

 

My wife is now used to long stories about minute events.

[+JT & PJ Cole]

Not all who wander are lost.

Believe your GPS, Trust your instincts.

[+RRoeber]

So far I've learned

1. The last place you think to look, the cache will be there.

2. Trust your "cache sense" and follow it.

[+hukilaulau]

Do not back into that parking spot at the local park.

Along the same line... If you see someone else lurking in the woods by a rest stop or park-n-ride, don't ask, "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?"

[+Snake & Rooster]

Do not back into that parking spot at the local park.

Along the same line... If you see someone else lurking in the woods by a rest stop or park-n-ride, don't ask, "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?"

[+Harry Dolphin]

Most cache owners are very nice people. But some are evil, some are nasty and some are just imcompetent. So, it's up to you to make your own fun.

[+churchrules]

Wearing safety glasses might be a good idea when searching for a cache in the forest!

[+Ry and Ny]

When looking for a cache hidden under a footbridge, I learned that muggle children are still brought up on the story The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

[+boda]

The easy path up the hill is only visible from the top.

 

The more blood I shed, the more fun I've had.

 

Your wife or girlfriend will always find the easy path to the cache; and they will laugh at you (hopefully not at the same time, but I don't have that problem.)

[+clevek]

1. persistance pays

2. use the "go-to"

3. record travel bug i.d.'s before passing along

4. carry a small trash bag in urban settings

5. if going solo to remote area, let some one else know

[Digital_Cowboy]

Do not back into that parking spot at the local park.

Along the same line... If you see someone else lurking in the woods by a rest stop or park-n-ride, don't ask, "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?"

 

Why not, they might need a little help in finding it themselves. Of course the "downside" is it could be an undercover cop and ya risk being mistaken for someone who's soliciting...

[+Isonzo Karst]

6. Even with frozen stiff fingers, I can now roll up a tiny strip of paper in a wind storm.

 

I've been caching a number of years and have not acquired this skill. Poor me.

 

Learned:

 

trust the description over the coords if there's much disagreement

 

the pioneers take the arrows (tales of the FTF trail.. )

 

edit speeling

Edited March 20, 2008 by Isonzo Karst

[+Outspoken1]

In the winter, use a pencil.

 

If you forgot your tweezers, you will NOT be able to get the log out of the container. If you forgot gloves, you will have needed them. Ouch.

 

Machinists often make the best caches

 

(Especially for women) Stop at the store to use the restroom before starting the hunt.

 

Tie a spare car key to your GPS (yes, you have figured out the rest of the story!)

[+Annie & PB]

In no particular order:

 

1) There is a hidden waterfall about 50 metres from State Highway 1.

2) There are more monuments to both important and obscure events in our area that I realised.

3) There are no walking tracks in our town without a cache or three on them.

5) Yes - it is possible to get that log book back inside that nano container.

6) My husband has an evil devious mind ...... oh wait ..... I already knew that one !!

7) My math is useless.

8) Reviewers have the patience of saints. ( see #7!)

9) Your average person is less observant that I thought

10) I am a numbers hound.

[+P'ville Lions R Us]

NEVER stick your hand in a strange, dark hole in the ground while searching for a cache in the woods!

 

We learned that some large house cats are subterranian and are as scared as you are.

[+PJPeters]

When you think it's time to bushwhack go down the trail a little ways first. You might find a better way in.

 

My spin on that one; you will inevitably find the trail AFTER the cache.

This is sooooo true!

 

NEVER stick your hand in a strange, dark hole in the ground while searching for a cache in the woods!

 

We learned that some large house cats are subterranian and are as scared as you are.

Ouch.

 

My pearls of wisdom:

You may be able to get into the briar patch, but you may need help getting extracted.

You're not always doing it just for the find - there's some great sights, sounds, and lessons to be gained in the journey.

[+Thrak]

NEVER stick your hand in a strange, dark hole in the ground while searching for a cache in the woods!

 

We learned that some large house cats are subterranian and are as scared as you are.

 

In this area it is more likely that the hole will contain a rattlesnake. Definitely not something you want biting you on the hand/wrist.

[+Thrak]

A film can will hold a grocery store plastic bag. Just stuff it inside. That makes it very easy to carry a trash bag with you for CITO purposes. (It also makes it easy to keep one in your glove box for use in the car.)

[+BlueDeuce]

NEVER stick your hand in a strange, dark hole in the ground while searching for a cache in the woods!

 

We learned that some large house cats are subterranian and are as scared as you are.

 

In this area it is more likely that the hole will contain a rattlesnake. Definitely not something you want biting you on the hand/wrist.

 

Imagine if there was a cat and a snake in there! I bet that would really suck.

[+root1657]

So far I've learned

1. The last place you think to look, the cache will be there.

2. Trust your "cache sense" and follow it.

 

Of course it's in the last place you look. Once you find it, it would be silly to continue looking!

[+root1657]

NEVER stick your hand in a strange, dark hole in the ground while searching for a cache in the woods!

 

We learned that some large house cats are subterranian and are as scared as you are.

 

In this area it is more likely that the hole will contain a rattlesnake. Definitely not something you want biting you on the hand/wrist.

 

Imagine if there was a cat and a snake in there! I bet that would really suck.

 

Unless the cat and the snake are very good friends, I would imagethe ruckuss would keep most hands out of the hole.

[+gof1]

So far I've learned

1. The last place you think to look, the cache will be there.

2. Trust your "cache sense" and follow it.

 

Of course it's in the last place you look. Once you find it, it would be silly to continue looking!

 

Sometimes the first place is the last place you look. That could be because you looked in the right place first. But it is also possible that there were several other places you looked between looking in the first place and finding it in the first place.

 

No matter what I know it isn't in The First Place, which is a bar I have searched on more than one occasion.

[+MarshMonsters]

Cachers know more about guard rails than most people. I never realized all the places/ways you could hide a guardrail micro.

[Sloopy12]

If you dont get your hands dirty, you wont find the cache. Move things around.

Your GPS isnt the problem, its the metal roofed buildings and the power lines. Move away from them.

[+StarBrand]

Mark your car if you wil be more than 150 feet from it.

[+Gipsie]

Not all who wander are lost.

 

 

That is my signature on my SJG profile....long live JRR Tolkien.

 

Any cache can be made into a 5/5.

That stream may look shallow, but......

If there is mud, I will find it.

[the3gmen]

When you think it's time to bushwhack go down the trail a little ways first. You might find a better way in.

 

My spin on that one; you will inevitably find the trail AFTER the cache.

 

I like to think of it as "the way back from a cache, is usually easier than the way to it"

[+BlueDeuce]

When you think it's time to bushwhack go down the trail a little ways first. You might find a better way in.

 

My spin on that one; you will inevitably find the trail AFTER the cache.

 

I like to think of it as "the way back from a cache, is usually easier than the way to it"

 

You hope.

[+RedSky Aussies]

Not all terrain ratings are created equal, read the logs if you have difficulty with rougher terrain.

 

Muggles just don't understand why you would drive to a neighboring state to move a TB (well and shop for fireworks )

 

The fun of the search is worth the pain.

 

Geocaching is a great way to spend a day with the ones you love.

[+burgessfour]

I've learned that 300 feet is a very long ways when you are on the wrong side of the river!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

o The quality of the online logs is proportional to the difficulty of the cache.

 

o There are not enough daylight hours in a day.

 

o Tanks are evil.

 

o So are large piles of rocks.

 

o Even if you publish parking coordinates next to a flat trail to the cache, people will still park as close as possible to the cache and bushwack up a hill.

[+Pat in Louisiana]

Not only mark your car's location, If it is heavly wooded turn on the track as well.

Backtrack has saved me more than once.