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I'm finally gonna do this!


lostinthesparks4

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So I received my new toy in the mail today i got a new pn-40!! i have been trying to get myself to buy a gps for about a year and a half and finally broke down the other day and did it. i have had a car gps but that only gets you so close to cache. this weekend should be a ton of fun as long as the weather behaves. i am hoping that now since i have a gps that i can find caches with i will be out and about finding new places and new caches.

 

if you have any getting started tips like what i should bring to put in the cache and any other hints at getting started that would be great!! i have found a few caches but only by luck!!

 

there is a whole new world awaiting me and my gps!!!! :laughing:

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Welcome to the game! I'll leave the really in depth advice to the experts and just throw out some real general advice. Remember it's supposed to be an enjoyable past time so don't set unrealistic goals of finding every single cache since it will take a while to develop a feel for how hiders frequently hide caches. Also start out with easy terrain and difficulty ratings along with larger cache sizes since they tend to be a little easier to find and better for building self confidence in the beginning. Remember don't take it to seriously it's a game to enjoy!!! :laughing:

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So I received my new toy in the mail today i got a new pn-40!! i have been trying to get myself to buy a gps for about a year and a half and finally broke down the other day and did it. i have had a car gps but that only gets you so close to cache. this weekend should be a ton of fun as long as the weather behaves. i am hoping that now since i have a gps that i can find caches with i will be out and about finding new places and new caches.

 

if you have any getting started tips like what i should bring to put in the cache and any other hints at getting started that would be great!! i have found a few caches but only by luck!!

 

there is a whole new world awaiting me and my gps!!!! :laughing:

 

1) Always carry extra batteries for your GPS. It's inevitable that they'll die when you're in the middle of the woods somewhere, and unless you're in a wooded area you know very well, you'll get your signals crossed faster than you think.

 

2) Get yourself a backpack (the size that college students use should be perfect) and put together a "cache bag". Some of the general things you can fill it with are:

 

A change of clothes, especially socks

First Aid Kit

Compass (in case your GPS fails for any reason)

Bottled Water

Energy snacks (power bars, trail mix, raisins, etc.) to much on in case you're wandering in the woods

Rain Poncho

Hiking staff (helps you climb hills more easily and are handy for making sure critters aren't hiding in downed logs and such)

Cell phone

 

There are other things you can put int there as well, and in fact there is a thread here which will give you a general list of items.

 

3) relax, Take your time, and have fun!!!

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Welcome to the game! I'll leave the really in depth advice to the experts and just throw out some real general advice. Remember it's supposed to be an enjoyable past time so don't set unrealistic goals of finding every single cache since it will take a while to develop a feel for how hiders frequently hide caches. Also start out with easy terrain and difficulty ratings along with larger cache sizes since they tend to be a little easier to find and better for building self confidence in the beginning. Remember don't take it to seriously it's a game to enjoy!!! :huh:

 

I agree, start with the easy ones. Some hiders can be clever. Were new at this as well and we found/logged 15 the past weekend. One thing I can tell you, your going to have to re-train your eyes. When your eyes tells your brain "that's just a pile of logs" Whats that saying? Oh yea, "there's more than what meets the eye"

We have been using our garmin streetpiolet c340. So far, its working great. A couple of times, I found my self dang near standing on the cache. And even then, had to look for it. Focus :blink:

 

Once you find your first one. Well, you'll see :laughing::laughing::laughing:

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Once you find your first one. Well, you'll see :laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

Even after the first one, you'll still be scratching your head. Actual scenario at one of our newest finds:

 

Wife: Did you check that?

Me: I'm not touching that.

Wife: Ok...

 

We continue searching...

 

Wife: You sure that's not it? (same item)

Me: I don't care if it is, I'm not touching it. <kicks it for smiley #8>

 

It was a really great hide and the family had a good chuckle at daddy. :blink:

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:laughing: Welcome to the madness, your life as you knew it, prior to Geocaching, is now over!

 

For instance, I had a 3-day weekend, this past, with EXCELLENT weather (around 50+) so I went out and got 42-finds, and now after 6-months of caching I have 202 total caches found, and about 9-caches hidden :laughing:

 

I live in VA. Thanks to Geocaching, I have seen parts of my state that otherwise, I would never have seen and it is wounderful!

 

Excellent exercise, as I love caches in the Mountains, etc. Although, in my local area, the sport seems to be slowly dieing! SO I am setting up a Meet & Greet in April for Geocachers, to try and stir more interest!

 

Happy Caching,,,,,,,, Cherokee Bill

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I say just Have Fun!!!

 

That is the important part Have Fun.

 

Start easy then go after the harder ones.

 

Also a good thing would be to go to a local event and meet other local cachers and try to go caching as a group with them.

 

So Have fun and enjoy.

 

I also have a Delorme PN-40 and it is a nice unit. Make sure it has the latest firmware in it. See Delorme.com forums for any help with it.

 

kf4oox - Paul

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A couple of things that we would add:

 

Remember that bushwacking is not always the best approach. If it looks like you shouldn't be going in the direction that your GPS'r points, look around for a path first.

 

You've already joined the community in the forums, now be sure to go to a local event and meet the geocachers in your area. You'll be surprised by how much wisdom you will learn from them.

 

Above all, have fun!! :laughing:

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THANKS EVERYONE

 

I have a backpack as I just graduated from college last may!! And here I was sure I was done with my backpack days!!

 

I will try and start with the easier ones as I have tried to find a few without a gps and most have been unsuccessful, ok all but like 7!!

 

I will use this as a great excuse to get outside and see new places as well as using it for exercise!! I am hoping that I can go on a geocaching orientated camping trip as soon as the weather warms up a bit here in NC. Until then I guess I'll be the bundled up girl walking in the woods looking for caches!

 

I have been getting the weekly email about caches hidden near me so I am very excited to get started on some of the ones I have been watching for a while!!

 

I WILL HAVE FUN!!!

I WILL HAVE FUN!!! :laughing:

 

Again thanks everyone I am glad to be a part of this game :laughing:

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Please post back after your first trip so we know how it went.

 

It's always fun to share your stories and if you are here on the forum, at least we understand. Remember, your non-geocaching friends will probably look at you with a glazed look on their faces when you start talking about your adventures.

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Well i did it after loading about 200 caches to my new pn-40 of small to large caches leaving out all the micros for now i headed out.

 

Now did i wait a little to late into the day to get started probably i waited till about 5:00pm and by that time the wind was picking up again( i was letting the wind die down it never really did) and the sun was thinking about going down!! But never fear I was on a mission!!!

 

And after a 20 min drive to the town we were eating dinner in i told my driver ;) to pull in to a parking lot. I had my gps in hand and routing to the cache, i looked into a PVC pipe first it wasn't there so i kept walking and since i was at the back of a shopping center i told my driver (my boyfriend is really gonna hate me for calling him my driver) :unsure: i motioned for him to point the headlights in my direction!! I knew I was getting close, TaDa!! There it was hidden in a corner covered with some mesh material. :)

 

I took something and left something and signed the log!!! I was now determined that I would find another!! I routed to the next closest cache it was in the same parking lot area. But it was behind some bushes and the sun was going down quick!!! I wasn't so sure it would have been a great idea for me to head out into the woods with the sun going down, so I turned around and headed back to the car!! But lucky me my driver said that I could try again next weekend when we come to the area!!!

 

And now that i have found 1 with my gps and seen how much more fun it is than my other method of studying Google maps and then heading out I am hooked!!! Y'all said i would be and you were right, now i have to get my back pack ready for next weekend!!!!

 

Until then happy caching and I'll see you out there!!! B)

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Thanks for the update. I'm still relatively new too, only about 3 months caching time under my belt, but it's neat to read about others discovering what I think is the worlds greatest activity.

 

Now that you're on your way to becoming addicted like the rest of us I'd like to make a suggestion for after you get a few more finds your belt. After I had about 15 finds I took my 3 nephews who range in age from 12 to 16 geocaching with me. My suggestion is take a younger person caching. Talk about a blast, the fun factor is multiplied many times over when you're watching young people get hooked on something that you know is fun and gets them into the great outdoors. I'd still geocache by myself even if they couldn't join me and I'd still enjoy it, but it's so much nicer watching young people enjoy themselves. Not to mention it's a great way to get to know younger people since realistically there's not a whole lot that a 46 year old guy like myself would have in common with 3 young men. Now I can say I've got 3 geocaching buddies and their my nephews. Yep, we may not have tons in common other than geocaching, but I doubt our friendship would be this strong without it as a source of mutual interest/obsession.

 

Good luck and welcome to the madness!!!! :unsure:

 

P.S. Not to mention when my half blind eyes can't see the obvious cache hiding places, 3 pairs of young eyes mean it's almost guarateed I'll eventually find it even if they have to give me a couple clues. Thankfully they're polite and not visibly laughing at me while I stumble around ground zero for 10 minutes looking for the cache they all found in 2 or 3 minutes. When you get to be my age young eyes are a very good thing to take on your geocaching adventures!!!

Edited by Michigan Cacheman
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Welcome to the Game/Sport/Hobby/Obsession etc etc etc. I don't think anyone hase decided what group this passtime falls into. One thing we all agree on though, is it's fun!

 

The only tip I can offer off the top of my head is "Don't give up". Some of these caches are very well hidden. There is nothing like the feeling you get from finding one of the tough ones. Other that, just pick a few caches with some easier ratings, and go get started. :lol:

Kevin

Edited by Seeker_Knight
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