G.I.N (Geocachers In Distress)

[+Phil&Phil2008]

Hi all..,

 

Today, was another frustrating day for Phil&Phil.

 

We have been hooked to the sport, face it, we're here. We ain't leavin'(). Geocaching is a ton of fun. Theres just one problem, we've found only two out of the twelve caches we've hunted.

 

Does this mean we aren't cut out to be cachers, or just to new to have 'Geosense' ?

 

Sincerely G.I.N, (Geocacher's in Distress)

 

Phil&Phil

Edited March 25, 2008 by Phil&Phil2008

[+mrlayance]

Hi all..,

 

Today, was another frustrating day for Phil&Phil.

 

We have been hooked to the sport, face it, we're here. We ain't leavin'(). Geocaching is a ton of fun. Theres just one problem, we've found only two out of the twelve caches we've hunted.

 

Does this mean we aren't cut out to be cachers, or just to new to have 'Geosense' ?

 

Sincerely G.I.N, (Geocacher's in Distress)

 

Phil&Phil

 

Patience, young grasshopper. All good things come with experience.

Edited March 24, 2008 by mrlayance

[+TeamGumbo]

 

Sincerely G.I.N, (Geocacher's in Distress)

 

Acronyms can be tricky.

 

[+CSpenceFLY]

What kind of caches have you been looking for?

[Kyul_and_Carbon]

It gets better (aka easier) with practice

[fishdirt]

I think it's the new ness. I've not found a few caches. One I know is because the reading was way off compared to me and a friend's gps units. In that weekend we were off on 3 caches but could only find two totally by accident.

 

What I did with the first was mark it as unfound. I kept checking back online and someone had found it. I asked them for a hint and got one. Went back out and didn't find it but my friend did. So since then I just look to see if someone else had found it if I couldn't. If they did I go back out and check again (I don't ask for tips now). On one of these caches a few people couldn't find it. This is where I put an unfound log. Otherwise i don't put anything until I'm sure.

[+Phil&Phil2008]

What kind of caches have you been looking for?

 

Micro and normal size caches.

[fishdirt]

What kind of caches have you been looking for?

 

Micro and normal size caches.

 

Micros are tricky! My first unofficial cache hunt was for a micro. It was hung on a pine tree branch stump. We literally had to climb under the tree. It was cool because we could stand straight but if someone drove by they would never have known we were there. I saw it above my head and yelled "Hey is this a cache???". Man I was so excited.

 

Normals are in tree holes around here and crotches of trees for the most part but I found a couple merely buried under tree limbs or wood debris.

[+root1657]

Stick with it, you definitely develope a new set of senses fast. My first cache with my brother, we stomped around in a circle for at least an hour, and no kidding, I sat on the cache at least once to tie my boot. Now, not really so many caches later, I can spot the most likely hiding place from a hundred feet off, and have a pretty good average for being right. Even the ones I have to look for, it doesnt take long.

 

I'd say first be careful which ones you go for. Until you get practiced up, stick with a few that have been found fairly recently and where the logs arent bogged down with DNFs ( like the notorious cache 'Wedding Crashers' in San Diego that probably runs 50% DNF). Recent finds indicate a high probability that it is still there (and maybe you can follow foot prints) and if there arent many DNFs, then it's probably not a b**ch to find. Dont feel shame for using the hints, and if there are any pictures on the cache, you might get valuable hints that you dont even know you are getting until you see the location.

 

No shame in a DNF, like I said, check out wedding crashers logs! everything from strange GPS behavior to brides falling down stairs...

[+Phil&Phil2008]

Thanks guys! You're all very supportive! G'night!

[+osubrownsfan]

stick with it, maybe you're just worried about finding it and not thinking. once you get close- within 30ft start looking and thinking "where would i hide it". also it is a good thing to look and see if they have been found recently. i run my pq to show me what has been found in the last 7 days. that way i figure if they found it i probably will. i went out today and found 4 but also had 4 dnfs. i'm new just like you, just got my total up to 62 today. most of all have fun

Edited March 24, 2008 by osubrownsfan

[+Phil&Phil2008]

Thanks! Once again, you're all amazingly supportive!

Edited March 24, 2008 by Phil&Phil2008

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Would not the abbreviation for Geocachers In Distress be G.I.D., instead of G.I.N., or were you covertly trying to tell us something about your interest in gin?

[+briansnat]

What kind of caches have you been looking for?

 

Micro and normal size caches.

 

Stick with regular sized caches at first.

 

Don't rely too much on your GPS once you get in close. Remember that your GPS has a margin of error, as did the GPS of the hider, so the cache can be 40, 50 or more feet from where your GPS says it is (though 10-30 feet is most common).

 

If you're concentrating your search precisely where your GPS says the cache is, you might be missing it. Once you are within 40 feet or so, forget about what your GPS says and start looking for potential hiding places. Think where you would hide a cache if you were at that location.

[4wheelin_fool]

Hi all..,

 

Today, was another frustrating day for Phil&Phil.

 

We have been hooked to the sport, face it, we're here. We ain't leavin'(). Geocaching is a ton of fun. Theres just one problem, we've found only two out of the twelve caches we've hunted.

 

Does this mean we aren't cut out to be cachers, or just to new to have 'Geosense' ?

 

Sincerely G.I.N, (Geocacher's in Distress)

 

Phil&Phil

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again.

Then give up. There's no use being a damned fool about it.

-William Claude Dunkenfield (W. C. Fields)

I'd say keep trying

[miles_vagar]

Hi all..,

 

Today, was another frustrating day for Phil&Phil.

 

We have been hooked to the sport, face it, we're here. We ain't leavin'(). Geocaching is a ton of fun. Theres just one problem, we've found only two out of the twelve caches we've hunted.

 

Does this mean we aren't cut out to be cachers, or just to new to have 'Geosense' ?

 

Sincerely G.I.N, (Geocacher's in Distress)

 

Phil&Phil

 

This is why I always insist that everyone always logs their DNFs. Depending on your cache, it could be that 20+ people have failed to find the ones you were looking for and didn't log, leading you to a false sense of inferiority.

 

No, it's very normal to have a hard time at first. It took my girlfriend and I at least seven caching trips to figure out we could lift up the skirts of lampposts, hehehe.

[+Thrak]

Make sure your GPS is set to use the WGS84 map datum. If you don't set it that way you will be way off. Just a thought.........

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

It may help avoid frustration if you consider why you cache.

 

I love to get out, roam around, see new places and new things and be with people (therefore I rarely cache alone).

 

I enjoy the hunt but the find is almost incidental.

 

If it is the experience of going to that place that makes you happy then it really doesn't matter if you find it or not - I enjoy DNFs every bit as much as finds!

 

Sure, the find is always rewarding and exciting, but since it is not my ultimate goal (having fun is) then a DNF doesn't spoil the experience.

 

Yes, as you find more they do generally become easier to find, but you'll always have DNFs.

 

I have found thousands of caches in 28 states and still DNF them on a regular basis.

 

We had a group cache run after an event yesterday with cachers from neophyte to old salt and we DNF'd a new cache put out that morning - around 20 of us spent 30 minutes looking for that bugger! Nothing found. Still, we had a ball looking.

Later in the day I talked to the owner, who told me what the container was (a plastic Easter Egg) and I went back and found it within 5 minutes.

 

If the find is the thing for you then be prepared to be disappointed on some, it's just gonna happen!

[+gof1]

OK gang, I think the Phils are on to us. May as well put the caches back and let 'em find a few.

 

Just kidding.

 

Try to find a local geocaching organization or attend a local event. You'll get to meet some of the people who have hidden the caches that are tormenting you and maybe find someone to take you out and help you get started.

 

Remember, sooner or later you are going to start hiding caches and that'll be your chance for payback.

[Luckless]

 

Remember, sooner or later you are going to start hiding caches and that'll be your chance for payback.

I never thought of it that way.

[+Phil&Phil2008]

Would not the abbreviation for Geocachers In Distress be G.I.D., instead of G.I.N., or were you covertly trying to tell us something about your interest in gin?

 

 

Hehheheheheh....Whoops thanks! .

 

_______________________________________

 

Seriously, thanks for all your support guys. Your restored my faith in the sport . I think we'll get together for hunts with some of you experts, please show some newbies the ropes!

 

Sincerely,

 

Phil Jr.-Tech master of the Phil&Phil team

 

PS-You'd better not be mugglin' those caches, Gof!

[+Phil&Phil2008]

Any more advice?

[+Iowa Tom]

"We are not doing this because it is easy, but because it is hard!"- JFK

[+spelldog]

We learned the hard way (several DNF's) to start looking for regular size caches with 1 or 2 difficulty level. Also go looking for caches that were found recently and have very few DNF's listed. It is amazing how the longer you cache the more you realize how clueless you were when you first get started. The longer you do it you also realize how much fun you can have and how many new places you can discover. Keep trying and remember a bad day caching is still a lot better than a good day working.

[+Phil&Phil2008]

"We are not doing this because it is easy, but because it is hard!"- JFK

 

Hahah.. Good point!

[+Phil&Phil2008]

We learned the hard way (several DNF's) to start looking for regular size caches with 1 or 2 difficulty level. Also go looking for caches that were found recently and have very few DNF's listed. It is amazing how the longer you cache the more you realize how clueless you were when you first get started. The longer you do it you also realize how much fun you can have and how many new places you can discover. Keep trying and remember a bad day caching is still a lot better than a good day working.

 

Wow.. You just gave some of the best advice on the thread! (No offense to the other posters)

[+msrubble]

If the snow is still deep in spots, look for caches that are rated as winter-friendly (they have the little snowflake icon) or that have been found recently.

[+Phil&Phil2008]

Thanks MS, good advice!

[+Ockette]

I was taught to cache by a girl who played the game without a GPS. She'd use google-earth to zero in as close as she could on the coordinates, note any interesting trees/rocks/landmarks, and go for it. Her find rate was amazing, because she wasn't looking for the cache, she was looking for the hide. That pile of suspicious sticks, the tree full of woodpecker holes, the niche under the rocks.

 

I feel like such a sell-out using my tech. XD

[joshuavillwo]

I haven't really found very many compared to a lot of people, but I still have experienced how every cache you find, it seems to get easyer. This is mostly because you learn how the hides are hidedn. (base of road signs, under the skirt of a lamppost, inside guardrails, inside a pipe on something, etc.

[+Phil&Phil2008]

I was taught to cache by a girl who played the game without a GPS. She'd use google-earth to zero in as close as she could on the coordinates, note any interesting trees/rocks/landmarks, and go for it. Her find rate was amazing, because she wasn't looking for the cache, she was looking for the hide. That pile of suspicious sticks, the tree full of woodpecker holes, the niche under the rocks.

 

I feel like such a sell-out using my tech. XD

 

 

Hmm.. VERY interesting..