Things we've learned while Geocaching.

[+Coyote's Girl]

I've learned the following things:

There is no way to keep burs out of waist-length hair

A mile is ALOT further than I think it is.

Small children are great for finding the micro under the bench.

Mark. The. Car.

[+command Z]

I've learned the following things:

There is no way to keep burs out of waist-length hair

A mile is ALOT further than I think it is.

Small children are great for finding the micro under the bench.

Mark. The. Car.

 

Bring a flashlight, even in the daylight.

[+Team CeDo]

I have learned not to stick my hands in places I cant see. Like palmetto trees here in Florida! Great place for coral snakes!

[+mfamilee]

We have learned it is impossible to keep our geocaching mobile clean.

[+KD7MXI]

it is fun to walk in circles like a dog chasing its tail

 

it keeps you from being a shut in

 

its fun to look crazy and strange

Edited January 5, 2009 by KD7MXI

[+wkmccall]

There are ALWAYS more unknown places close by!

[+Segerguy]

A COOL walking stick comes in handy!

[+Segerguy]

Sorry double post,,,I hate it when that happens!

Edited January 5, 2009 by Segerguy

[+CacheOCD]

On my second hunt ( I just started this hobby) I found out the hard way, that you always need to bring a change of clothes. I went behind my office in what I thought would be a quick cache in the woods by the stream turned out to be a FULL faceplant into the stream. I was soaking wet from head to toe. It is a very good thing that these handheld gpses are waterproof! The look on my boss's face when he saw me sloshing in was priceless.

[+DocDiTTo]

I've learned a few things too...

 

At the end of every bushwhack is a well groomed trail.

 

The water is always a quarter inch deeper than your boot is high.

 

When crossing a creek without boots, the second rock you step on will always be the loose one.

 

If you leave the flashlight in the car you'll definitely need it -- even in the middle of the day.

 

The ice you're walking on won't break until the water below is at least knee deep.

 

You'll always see the neatest stuff just after your camera battery dies.

 

GPS receivers lie -- even more so when they're in close proximity to each other.

 

Mosquitoes always know when you've forgotten the DEET.

 

The closer you come to a snake before you see it, the higher the probability that its venomous.

 

The likelihood that you'll forget to bring a pen increases as the size of the cache you're hunting decreases.

 

And yes, the cache is always found in the last place you thought to look.

[+Hobo2]

On my second hunt ( I just started this hobby) I found out the hard way, that you always need to bring a change of clothes. I went behind my office in what I thought would be a quick cache in the woods by the stream turned out to be a FULL faceplant into the stream. I was soaking wet from head to toe. It is a very good thing that these handheld gpses are waterproof! The look on my boss's face when he saw me sloshing in was priceless.

 

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

1. Set a waypoint for your car.

2. Bring spare batteries so you can use the waypoint you set for your car to get back to it.

[+Isonzo Karst]

The water is always a quarter inch deeper than your boot is high.

 

When crossing a creek without boots, the second rock you step on will always be the loose one.

 

These two observations reminded me of a part of a log on a cache I'm watching, "... Cross the Hillsborough River at N28 04.683, W82 17.973. Bottom very solid except for the first two steps...."

 

I got a smile out of the "except for the first two steps" part..... wet now, dry later.....much later

[+WolfgangStiller]

 

Bring a flashlight, even in the daylight.

 

My preference is a headlamp. I have learned the hard way even when I think there's absolutely no chance of being caught after dark, things can happen and the headlamp has rescued me (and others) on a number of occasions.

[+Team Black-Cat]

On a very dark night, you can find a cache in the woods by the light of a cell phone.

[+Rev Mike]

Parking lots are just as boring with a cache in them.

[+GCNJ]

1--After a bushwack the dogs can allways backtrack to the trail

 

2--Ticks like winter.

[+RusticScout]

Water! Sometimes you never know how long you might be out, even when you say "Just one more".

[+yawppy]

I've learned a few things too...

 

At the end of every bushwhack is a well groomed trail.

 

The water is always a quarter inch deeper than your boot is high.

 

When crossing a creek without boots, the second rock you step on will always be the loose one.

 

If you leave the flashlight in the car you'll definitely need it -- even in the middle of the day.

 

The ice you're walking on won't break until the water below is at least knee deep.

 

You'll always see the neatest stuff just after your camera battery dies.

 

GPS receivers lie -- even more so when they're in close proximity to each other.

 

Mosquitoes always know when you've forgotten the DEET.

 

The closer you come to a snake before you see it, the higher the probability that its venomous.

 

The likelihood that you'll forget to bring a pen increases as the size of the cache you're hunting decreases.

 

And yes, the cache is always found in the last place you thought to look.

 

All so very much the truth. @ work more later,fun topic,just one quick one till off work, A cachet can never ever be ahead of all technological devices, as I post this from my newest gadget the iPhone!

 

well back to work.. More later ty yawppy

[+obnsue]

A good walking stick is a must. keeps a lot of briars out of the way.

A tight baseball cap to keep stuff out of your hair.

No matter how tight I braid my long hair, it still gets caught in every limb I duck under.

Don't believe the cache owner when they say that there are no briars. Wear the briar pants anyway.

Look very carefully at the satellite photos for a cache in the woods. The first way you think is best may not be the best way. How do I know that? Briars! There can almost always be another way.

Don't wear you best clothes and shoes out to even the easiest cache because one is not enough.

Boots and briar pants. briar pants and boots. Did I say briar pants and boots?

[+PlantAKiss]

Don't assume you know where it is. If you think "It MUST be here"...it's probably not.

 

Don't assume it can't be there...just because you know that would be a reaaaally bad place to put a cache.

[Cal W.]

Always have a reply ready for any muggle that asks you what the hell you are doing.

[+Crid]

The walk back is longer than the walk there.

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

If you've looked and looked for an urban cache and have gone over every square inch of the hiding spot and still can't find the cache, that may be because where you are looking is not the hiding spot.

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

If you've looked and looked for an urban cache and have gone over every square inch of the hiding spot and still can't find the cache, that may be because where you are looking is not the hiding spot.

[+Snoogans]

Before geocaching, the only use I had for a computer was to check email, order stuff on Amazon.com, and do my paperwork at work.

 

I've learned that now I go into deep withdrawls if I go more than 36 hours without internet.

 

I've learned a little HTML coding. You really needed to KNOW some on the old version of this forum.

 

I've learned that geocachers are one of the most interesting and unique subsets of humanity and that my wife thinks we're all silly nerds. (My poor son will have do deal with the handicap of being born half muggle.)

 

I've learned to enjoy the same aesthetic argument over and over and over while trying to think up new ways to say the same thing in my pithy Snooganesque way.

 

I've learned that talking about yourself in third person doesn't always mean you're crazy.

 

I've learned that Garmin beats the snot outta Magellan. (Former Magellanite turned Garminarian here.)

 

I've learned that it's fun to poke at the people who take themselves and this activity a little too seriously.

 

I've learned that there's more than one lane on the geocaching highway, but after trying them all, that this one is the best one and the only one I really have time for anymore...

 

I've learned, back in the days that I still cached with a Magellan, just to turn it off and follow the folks with Garmins.

 

I've learned that I will never fully understand my 60CSX. The wife got it for me. She was ashamed of being married to a Magellanite.

 

I've learned many homeless people are better dressed than a well seasoned geocacher on a cache findin' mission.

 

I've learned to greatly respect folks that can answer the same question over and over again in the forums without becoming too sarcastic.

 

I've learned that you can't bring people into geocaching. They have to come to it on their own.

 

I've learned that the average lifespan of a NEW geocacher is often shorter than that of a worker bee. (About 6 weeks)

 

I've learned to recognize the new cachers who will stick with it when I meet them at events. They are usually the ones helping clean up at the end.

 

I've learned that it IS possible to hide a cache in plain sight and that it can last for YEARS if done right.

 

I've learned that over rating terrain and difficulty will keep the willy-nilly unprepared cachers from killing themselves finding my caches.

 

I've learned that if you place a cache on private property and CLEARLY WARN cachers of the dangers of crossing other private lands to get to it that they can be escorted to my cache at gunpoint when they disregard my warnings.

 

I've learned some of the biggest forum 'gurks' can be quite personable and fun to be around in person. Online and real life personas very seldom match up equally. I.E. Folks always tell me how normal I seem in person like it's a compliment or sumthin'.

 

I've learned that a great log on one of my caches can make my whole day and with really great logs and pictures the glow can last for several days.

 

I've learned that really active cachers will go outta their way to help you get the most out of a trip to their territory and all you really hafta do is say, "Hey, I'm headed thataway."

 

I've learned to enjoy the enthusiasm of NEW geocachers.

 

I've learned to avoid new geocachers who publish their own "How To" guides to geocaching.

 

I've learned that the debate over personal aesthetics/entitlement/expectation will NEVER go away and just to have fun with it when it arises.

 

I've learned that geocaching gives me a creative outlet that keeps me sane. I don't know what Vinny's excuse is...

 

I've learned that when it comes to the actual activity of geocaching, cachers form 2 camps, Hiders & Finders, and that it's a rare cacher indeed that goes about both with equal gusto. I also learned that I'm mainly a hider.

 

I've learned that 4WD is essential for at least 1 of the family vehicles.

 

I've learned that people who are light sleepers shouldn't pitch a tent near mine.

 

I've learned that if you want a smaller crowd at your event, you need to submit it right AT 14 days out and that if you want a bigger crowd to submit 60+ days out.

 

I've learned that 6 "Will Attend" notes on an event I'm hosting means no less than 20 people will show.

 

I've learned that the best time to post a new cache is on Monday or Tuesday, so it makes it into the weekly cache notification email for that week.

 

I've learned that you can move a trackable hundreds of miles closer to its goal and the owner will still complain that you didn't post any pictures.

 

I've learned that traveling/released coins disappear less from events than from caches.

 

I've learned that there is no I in TEAM, but there sure as heck is an M & an E.

 

I've learned that you can't throw a rock in Jacksonville and have it land MORE than 528 feet from the nearest cache.

 

I've learned that big guys with tiny little dogs are irresistable to most women.

 

I've learned that if you post that you're headed out to get FTF on a cache, you can sometimes sleep a little longer.

 

I've learned that trackables are way more fun than their expectant owners.

 

I've learned that a single guy doesn't need camping reservations for a campout event because there is always another geocacher with space available when you offer to share expenses.

 

I've learned that the door seals on a new Xterra are water tight.

 

Ive learned that this:

 

geocaching: Wayyy more chances to contract West Nile, or Lyme Disease than the average person.-Snoogans (sometime in 2003)

 

Even though I made it up as a joke, has turned out to be farrr more prophetic and unfunny than I would like.

 

But, it's STILL kinda funny.

 

I've also learned that people read my posts in this forum better than they read my cache pages.

[+Rumager]

I've learnt that ....

 

The more desperate you are to find the cache, the quicker the sun goes down.

 

'You won't need to get your feet wet' in a cache description means you'll get your feet wet.

 

'You won't have to enter the Church grounds' means that you'll walk right past the gravestone you were looking for and search the entire cemetery.

 

If a previous cachers 4 year old daughter found the cache 'straight away', then you'll be in for a very long search.

[+deercreekth]

Weatherproof doesn't necessarily mean waterproof

Just because a creek doesn't look deep doesn't mean it isn't deep

[+DareGuy]

Ducks, Geese, and Ants, amongst other of wildlife, can make great guards for caches.