Day 2 - Huge Hike, DNF....what should I be looking for?

[sandpearlnj]

My 6 year old & I have decided this could be our fantastic new hobby! Our 1st venture out, we found the cache! Then it's been downhill since then....didn't find the next 4 we tried for.

 

So I'm wondering....I'm using my Garmin Nuvi from my car. I guess that's not what I should be using? Do I need to get a hiking one? Then, I'm wondering...is there usually a tell-tale sign that you've hit the cache?

 

We hiked up a cliff today (great workout), searched for an hour, but DNF. The clue was "Look under a rock that's on a dead tree." Searched SO many dead trees, and found nothing. Then went to one of the shopping mall ones and just couldn't imagine what it was we were looking for!

 

Again, loved the hike & time with my daughter, but am so frustrated that we couldn't get the GPS closer than 50 ft.

 

Any suggestions? THANKS!

[+SkellyCA]

What size were the caches you looked for? The one in the hills could be an ammo can, lock-n-lock(tupperware type container). The shopping mall one could very well be a 35mm film container

Edited November 8, 2009 by SkellyCA

[+SkellyCA]

Oh and yes, it's better to have a hand held gpsr, but people do use NUVI's

[+jeffbouldin]

Post the GC number so we can look at the page.

[+jeffbouldin]

GC.Com Hiccup!

Edited November 9, 2009 by jeffbouldin

[+briansnat]

A hand held unit is better for geocaching because the sport was designed around the capabilities of a hand held unit. Most automotive units don't have a compass navigation screen which makes cache hunting easier, the battery life is no sufficient and they aren't waterproof or durable.

 

Since you seem to like caches with a hike you definitely should invest in an inexpensive hand held unit. Something like a Garmin Venture HC won't break the bank and will do the job nicely.

 

Remember that hand held or automotive GPS they are only accurate to about 10-30 feet. The person who hid the cache also had a similar inaccuracy. So the cache can be 50+ feet from where your GPS is pointing.

[+FatCat2]

As a new geocacher I think it takes some practice to learn how " to look". It's hard to explain.. but experience helps, so go with someone who has already cached for a while-- or at least don't pick ones at the end of long hikes at first.. It took three or four tries to find my first cache, then it just gets easier..

[+pyro07]

i am a new cacher as well and what helped me is i watched some videos on youtube that show some different hides etc. but what i have noticed is look for things that dont quite seem right yesterday i had one i could not find it was in a big rock wall somewhere, then i noticed a rock that was stuck in a gap that wasnt quite right for some reason dunno if it was the color, the way it was sitting but i pulled it out and there it was

[+Scubasonic]

Oh and yes, it's better to have a hand held gpsr, but people do use NUVI's

 

I have used my NUVI but only as a last resort I found it but probably was lucky NUVIs are not that accurate when off road.

 

Scubasonic

[+Scubasonic]

what i have noticed is look for things that dont quite seem right yesterday i had one i could not find it was in a big rock wall somewhere, then i noticed a rock that was stuck in a gap that wasnt quite right for some reason dunno if it was the color, the way it was sitting but i pulled it out and there it was

 

That is whats called "Geosenses"

 

ScubaSonic

[+cachecrashers4]

Did you remember to switch the Nuvi to pedestrian mode?

[sandpearlnj]

I did NOT switch to pedestrian mode...didn't even know there WAS one, thank you!

 

And, yes, it does seem as though I need to go with someone who's done it before. I went to an "easy" one today and was POSITIVE that I was at the correct pile of logs, but still couldn't locate it. So very frustrating!

 

What's the protocol on asking the person who stashed the cache for a little more of a hint? Just feeling like the one today was one of those I should have found, but the autumn leaves made it tough (excuses, excuses!!!).

 

And I will look at Youtube for more advise. Thanks all for the posts!

[jkettu]

Just to remind that in addition to switching to pedestrian mode, you also need to switch navigation mode to Off-road.

[+va griz]

Ask away. I've had a few that did not respond, but most of the owners I have asked have been willing to give you as much help as you want.

[+Prime Suspect]

Did you remember to switch the Nuvi to pedestrian mode?

Perhaps it's different on the Nuvi, but on the 60CSx, Pedestrian Mode is strictly for routing purposes. Pedestrian Mode routes you from A to B, while avoiding such things as highways or elevated roadways. Once you've stopped following a route, and are doing off-road navigation, having it set to Pedestrian Mode does absolutely nothing.

 

For geocaching purposes, there's generally no reason to ever use the Pedestrian setting. Most people are driving to a nearby parking area, then using off-route navigation.

Edited November 9, 2009 by Prime Suspect

[+AbMagFab]

It just takes time to figure things out. After a while, you'll learn a bunch of things:

 

1) You'll never stop seeing new and unique cache containers, making each subsequent find a little easier

 

2) In the woods, there are lots of ways to hide caches, and the more you find the easier it becomes

 

3) Learning how to read the GPS, including it's accuracy and how to adjust for that (sort of like a sight on a gun I'm guessing)

 

Anyway, the fun (for me at least) comes from discovering all the new and interesting ways to hide these things in a world where most people have no idea they even exist. Sort of like that movie "They Live" where we're wearing the sunglasses?

 

Have fun! It's all about the hunt! (And the find)