How do you plan your day out?

[+jeepcacher]

I have to be making this harder than it is, and would very much appreciate any input. When I plan a day out. I printout a map, then go to each cache one-by-one and upload them, write some notes on the map (GC##, SDT, hints, etc). Please tell me there is an easier way. I thought about just uploading all the nearby caches and heading out, but some have not been found in forever (reported in logs by many to be missing), some are more difficult than originally stated, etc. I take hours to find a route, etc for the day. Please tell me there is an easier way to do this. Also in doing this I know where I am going. The closest one as the crow flies to me is .6 miles away, but to get there I would have to drive 20 miles, with most of it only accessible by jeep.

[+wapahani]

We keep a composite notebook with all the caches in a certain order of direction.

We don't go far from home when caching, as we don't spend entire days caching.

 

If I know we are heading south to a certain town, then I take all those along that route and go from there.

In our book I put down the GC#, then I leave a spot for our found date, then I write the coords down, the name, who the owner is then what the container is, then any hints or map notes.

Takes about 5 line in the book and it helps us.

Even though its in the GPS (COORDS) it helps us to have them on paper, as we can quickly find issues if they arise.

When I started this sport I found it very helpful and it just carried over when the family got involved!

 

Also, if I don't have a cache programmed in but I know one is there, I use it as a recon mission!..LOL

[+Miragee]

Since you are a Premium Member, you can do what I do (if you use GSAK to handle the data from Pocket Queries.)

 

Before heading in any direction, I get fresh Pocket Queries which I open in GSAK. I do a few filters before loading any caches into my GPSr. First, I filter for "Last 2 DNFs" and Delete those caches from my database, unless by reading the cache page I think I can find the cache.

 

Then, I Delete all the caches by one particular hider . . .

 

Then I pick a Centerpoint in the database and filter for distance around that location. I load about 900 caches into my GPSr . . . just in case our route varies slightly.

 

I have an 'x" GPSr, so the last thing I do is send POIs for all the caches in my database, as well as all the caches I have Found (separated by Archived and Still Active) to the GPSr.

[+jeepcacher]

I read the PQ FAQ page and info on GSAK. I guess I am still not understanding it. Can I create a search for 20 miles from home, 20 miles from the two places I work, and for two places I plan to go? Then just load all the caches in the areas. I want to have all of those on my GPSr, if that is possible. Then when I plan to geocaching trip I can just reasearch the particular ones I plan to get too. I have only been geocaching a few weeks, finding 46, mostly micros. I print out maps and make notes on them. It takes a lot of time, but at least I don't waste time with ones that no longer exist.

[+Miragee]

Because I live outside a very cache-rich area I set up my PQs by "Date Placed." I picked a centerpoint for those that would get me about a 45-mile radius. At the present time, it takes seven PQs to cover that wide an area.

 

I load all of those caches into three separate databases in GSAK depending on whether the caches are 35 miles N and NW of my home, or out in the Desert. In the Default database I have about 1700 caches to choose from when choosing a centerpoint for my search.

 

In my previous post I forgot the other, most important Filter to use before loading your GPSr: "Last .gpx Update." I don't Delete the caches from my database when I load new data. That way the Past Logs build up beyond just the last five. However, if I don't filter for "Last .gpx Update" I won't know which caches have been Disabled or Archived since the last refresh of the database. Those need to be deleted so you aren't looking for a cache that doesn't exist anymore.

[+jeepcacher]

I live in a very rural and mountainess area, obviously when I need to drive 20 miles to get .6 miles. :-) There are not a lot in my area. I live 40 miles from two different cities I work in. I also plan to do some family daycaching trips in two other cities. I was thinking of setting up quarries to load all current caches in those areas, one time only. Then getting them sent weekly on the ones close to home and work. without GSAK can up I load them onto my GPSr? Also I cannot find how many my Vista HCX can hold, any ideas. I have a 2gb card in it with only topo maps for 2 states loaded on the card.

[+Miragee]

In your case, you can get two different 500-cache PQs and load them into either one, or two databases in GSAK.

 

Your Vista HCx will hold 1000 waypoints, but you can load thousands more as POIs and the POIs can have more characters in the name and description which is very handy. GSAK's "Smart Name" codes are useful for getting the information you want, like the cache owner's name and the hint and whether the cache has a TB or not.

 

Because caches get Archived and Disabled all the time, you might want to set up Notifications for those two eventualities, as well as for brand new caches.

[+jeepcacher]

How do you load them as POI's and then how do you access them? That sounds like a better option. Currently I just use the link on the page that says send to Garmin.

 

BTW thanks alot for your help. I really appreciate it.

[+jeepcacher]

If I load 3 set of PQ's that have overlapping repeats, will it load them 2 or 3 times, or just once per cache?

[+Miragee]

I send both Waypoints and POIs to my Vista HCx using GSAK.

 

For the POIs, I use the Garmin POI loader. It is a free download.

 

Then, from GSAK, I Export .gpx files for each category of POI. For the name of the cache, I use these "smart name" codes:

 

%smart=9 %con1%typ1%dif1%ter1 %By

 

For the description, I use these codes:

 

%Hint %Code

 

You can mix and match these anyway you want, but I like the name first for the Waypoint in case I need to look the cache up by Name instead of by Nearest.

 

This thread in the Forums will be helpful.

 

Since when you load POIs it wipes out the previous ones, I have all the different types of POIs in one Update folder and point the POI loader to it. It picks up these files and puts them in the Custom POI list.

 

Unfound.gpx

Unfound.bmp -- Closed Treasure Chest

FoundArchived.gpx

FoundArchived.bmp -- Tombstone

Found.gpx

Found.bmp -- Box with checkmark

Benchmarks.gpx

Benchmarks.bmp -- Blue dot

[+Parabola]

I just download a PQ of 500 and load those into the colorado. Then I usually have one I really want to do and head that direction. I'll stop for a few along the way and if I have time left over I'll hit some more but I never really plan on a map of where I'm going. I find it's fun for me just to go like that and not try to plan too much. I guess I kind of go where ever the wind blows me.

[+SgtSue]

Several regularly scheduled PQs keeps my GSAK database relatively up to date for my home state. I export the caches to either MS Streets and Trips or Garmin's MapSource. I then choose where to go and begin to add caches that are on my route to or from. Using the software's tools I can optimize the route to minimize backtracking and the like. Then send those caches to the gps using GSAK. Most times I have more caches than time, but that it life. Of course I am lucky to get out and cache two or three days out of the month so a little extra prep time works for me. Whatever method you use to choose the caches and plan your route learn to use GSAK or another software program to load the chosen all together.

[+Wild Thing 73]

Lot of good information above...be sure and check our "profile pages" for additional help and info. Good luck and happy trails...

[+jeepcacher]

Sorry for delay in response. I work 14 hour days plus 2 hours drive time. Today is my day off. I had my home area PQ sent to my email. I cannot figure out what to do with it. I don't see a zip file, just a link for opening it in my browser. I also downloaded GSAK. 500 caches covers 36 miles from my home. If I request another PQ that has some overlapping caches, will that mess anything up?

[+jeepcacher]

Sorry for delay in response. I work 14 hour days plus 2 hours drive time. Today is my day off. I had my home area PQ sent to my email. I cannot figure out what to do with it. I don't see a zip file, just a link for opening it in my browser. I also downloaded GSAK. 500 caches covers 36 miles from my home. If I request another PQ that has some overlapping caches, will that mess anything up?

 

OK, I figured it out. I guess I was too tired. I found the attachment in the email and now have it loaded into GSAK. I have filtered out archived ones and then deleted some that required really long hikes or a boat to get to. The only problem I think I am still having is that when I try to export it says I am exporting 502 when I only have 417 left, after filters and deleting.

Edited August 15, 2008 by jeepcacher

[+DuneStalker]

Sorry for delay in response. I work 14 hour days plus 2 hours drive time. Today is my day off. I had my home area PQ sent to my email. I cannot figure out what to do with it. I don't see a zip file, just a link for opening it in my browser. I also downloaded GSAK. 500 caches covers 36 miles from my home. If I request another PQ that has some overlapping caches, will that mess anything up?

 

OK, I figured it out. I guess I was too tired. I found the attachment in the email and now have it loaded into GSAK. I have filtered out archived ones and then deleted some that required really long hikes or a boat to get to. The only problem I think I am still having is that when I try to export it says I am exporting 502 when I only have 417 left, after filters and deleting.

 

Some of the 'caches' you're exporting are probably "child" waypoints. Typically, they are used to indicate a parking lot for it's "parent" cache. There are times when you will come across a cache which is at the opposite end of a park from its parking lot (for example), and the owner will indicate where you could park. This is especially helpful since your GPSr will try to get you *to* the cache, but you may not be able to drive right up to it. Hope that helps in figuring out the number of caches you're exporting.

 

Also, if you have overlapping caches from more than one PQ, the data from the same caches in each PQ will merge together into GSAK without any problems. It's pretty smart at importing GPX data. :-)

 

Good luck!

 

Charles "DuneStalker" Coumbe

Aurora, Colorado

[stryder717]

i just have a notebook with several caches nearby in it.