How are new Geocachers doing

[1stTG]

Read about deocaching in camping magazine last week. Checked it out on line. Don't have a GPS but thought I would could do it with a map and compass. Got the family invovled and...................

It rained non stop all day Boo hoo.

[+dexter-cacher]

I give you an A+ for effort..Anything you can do to get outside with the family. This is a difficult game addiction sport to do without a GPSr though. I know of some people (myself included) that were able to find a cache or 2 using google maps but to use just a map and compass you will find yourself frustrated quickly I think. That may turn you from this great adventure. To give it a serious try I reccommend you borrow a unit from a friend and give it a whirl. Go from there. You'll be hooked in no time..!!

 

edit - typo..duh

Edited December 1, 2009 by dexter-cacher

[+The Blorenges]

I'm guessing that you could be in the UK? Was it this article? "Geocaching article in Camping & Caravanning magazine."

 

(The "rained non stop" bit was also a clue )

 

Many geocachers start off by finding a few traditional caches using the Google maps, an Ordnance Survey map and using the hint. If you try this approach then it's advisable to start searching for a small/or larger sized cache because one marked as a micro will be rather tricky for a brand new cacher to find. Your map reading skills should be able to get you pretty close to the cache's location, then think to yourself, "Where would I hide it, around this area?"

 

MrsB

[+burtsbodgers]

Hi

Not sure where about in the world you are.....

but try finding someone local to you to give you some help.

Most cachers are easily convinced to show some newbies the ropes, and show of their tech.

have a look through your local caches to see who visited them via the logs, the earlier logs are worth looking at especially the first to finds (FTF's) as these cachers are likely to be local to you.

Just click on their user names to find out more details and send an Email via their profile, they will normally be able to help or recommend a club or get together or even a local cacher who could help even if they cant.

Go on give it a try.

[Pensnut]

My wife and got our first GPS about 2 weeks ago. A garmin E-Trex H. We have found about 10 caches so far. We started off with easy looking caches. We have a 2yr old so we sort of had to lol. We are really enjoying it. The Garmin i have seems to work well but is very basic. I think we got our moneys worth and will use it for some time. My point here is... start with easy ones before you start a long hike through rugged areas has been a good idea for us. I didn't want to get the wife discouraged right off the bat.

 

Pensnut

[+stanolli]

Everyone says how hard it is without a GPS and some even say it isn't geocaching, but I have now found 240 caches since I joined about 8 months ago and nearly all of them just using google maps. A few have been found just using the clues and a few have been cache and dashes with my inbuilt car sat nav, but I enjoy the extra challenge. Where the cache is in a wood I do go back to basics with a compass and pace the distance from a landmark. Where I do struggle is in steeply sloping woods and unfortunately there a lot where I live, but they just take a bit longer and more visits.

[+smstext]

@pensnut, thats not a bad device, i carry an etrex h about when im out and about at work and often rely on it if im not happy with my oregons performance.

[+Geo-Jerry]

Like you i do not have a GPSr yet either. i will get one after the new year just gotta get though my busy season first. However dont let get you down. I have found seven caches so far and everyone was done with Google Maps. i be lovin that satellite image lol.

 

Of course it helped greatly i have only hit the caches local to me so i know the area.

 

This is a really fun and addictive adventure enjoy it!

[grammynmaggie]

Hi I am new to geocaching and new to this forum stated geocaching aound 7/25/09. About the first doz caches I found with out GPS. Then got a Garimin nuvi and love it....but I seem to do ok with the urban settings with out it ...but for me it is must for outlying area like hiking paths and wooded area. Just my 2 cents and I love Geocaching!!!

blessings to all

G&M aka Donna

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

My wife and got our first GPS about 2 weeks ago. A garmin E-Trex H. We have found about 10 caches so far. We started off with easy looking caches. We have a 2yr old so we sort of had to lol. We are really enjoying it. The Garmin i have seems to work well but is very basic. I think we got our moneys worth and will use it for some time. My point here is... start with easy ones before you start a long hike through rugged areas has been a good idea for us. I didn't want to get the wife discouraged right off the bat.

 

Pensnut

 

Wisely spoken.

 

Too many want/think they need maps and go overboard to start with. If money isn't a problem, nothing wrong with it, but maps are secondary. A simple, no frills GPSr still gets you to where you need to be. I actually sort of admire those who have launched into geocaching and found caches (or at least attempted) w/o a GPSr at all!

 

A tip of the hat to you!

[+missionMode]

I am realizing that I am still new to geocaching. I've been following it for a year or two and have a number of friends who geocache, but until recently my only experience was at a winter church retreat last February. That was a controlled set of caches with novices in mind so it didn't teach me everything I need to know. This year I will be helping to organize that activity so that's been my excuse to invest in a new PN-40 which is coming in the mail. In the meantime I have discovered that my Blackberry Bold and BlackStar do fairly well.

 

At this point I find myself getting ready to go and realizing late that its a puzzle cache with requiring me to recalculate coordinates. I've found at least one fairly hard micro but there is another I have visited twice and I just can't find it.

 

Since most of my caching is urban, my biggest struggle is wondering how careful I need to be about stealth. I did some caching last weekend in a provincial (I'm Canadian) park and it was great because at this time of year there was almost nobody around and muggles aren't really an issue. Today was a different story. The temperature dropped to about -15 C during the day (from 2 or 4 C last week) and there is now light snow on the ground, so finding ground caches is more difficult and in the time it takes to decide whether snow cover is making it unfindable, there is usually some foot traffic around.

 

I guess mostly I am wishing I had known about apps for my BB back in the spring, and I could have cached all summer long. Now I will be more selective about what is realistic in the cold and snow.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I am realizing that I am still new to geocaching. I've been following it for a year or two and have a number of friends who geocache, but until recently my only experience was at a winter church retreat last February. That was a controlled set of caches with novices in mind so it didn't teach me everything I need to know. This year I will be helping to organize that activity so that's been my excuse to invest in a new PN-40 which is coming in the mail. In the meantime I have discovered that my Blackberry Bold and BlackStar do fairly well.

 

At this point I find myself getting ready to go and realizing late that its a puzzle cache with requiring me to recalculate coordinates. I've found at least one fairly hard micro but there is another I have visited twice and I just can't find it.

 

Since most of my caching is urban, my biggest struggle is wondering how careful I need to be about stealth. I did some caching last weekend in a provincial (I'm Canadian) park and it was great because at this time of year there was almost nobody around and muggles aren't really an issue. Today was a different story. The temperature dropped to about -15 C during the day (from 2 or 4 C last week) and there is now light snow on the ground, so finding ground caches is more difficult and in the time it takes to decide whether snow cover is making it unfindable, there is usually some foot traffic around.

 

I guess mostly I am wishing I had known about apps for my BB back in the spring, and I could have cached all summer long. Now I will be more selective about what is realistic in the cold and snow.

 

Nuttin' wrong with snow........ just makes it harder (to find the ground cache) is all. Good camouflage!

[+tlap]

I've found a half dozen caches so far relying on Google maps and the rudimentary GPS in my iPhone.

 

That was enough for me to realize how much fun I am having, and to discover that I'd rather be in a park or at least away far away from traffic so that I can take my time and search thoroughly.

 

I did buy a GPS, but it was so rainy today that I didn't go after anything that would have kept me out in the wet.

 

Enjoy the hunt

 

Tee

a n00b herself.

[ajra]

Forget the weekend housework...I am addicted to geocaching and have no desired to "break the habit"!

 

My family and I have so much fun looking for these little treasures! And, it is making me get out into the cold Ohio air! (Exercise and fresh air - can't go wrong with that!!!)

[Knight-Errant]

Hope your luck and weather improve.

 

If it gives you any hope until you can get a GPSr, we found about 500 before we got access to one.

[BCProspectors]

The whole idea is to use a GPS device. It certainly isn't against the rules or anything to find the cache with only a map and compass (we have a GPS and a map and compass! ) but geocaching is much more enjoyable with a GPS.

[miniminime]

I am going out for my first caches today in my town. I have just moved so will be a good chance to explore the area. Am looking forward to it. Will report back later!!

[+missionMode]

Weather has definitely been the issue here, as with so much of North America this last 2 weeks. With temperatures pretty steady between -25 and -30 C plus wind it just hasn't been a situation to spend time outside. That said there was a one-day reprieve 2 Sunday's ago where I got my first FTF using my BlackBerry. My PN-40 remains in a post-box at the border until sometime this week. Hopefully soon but I have no control over when my "courier" goes to get it.

 

Keeping my busy this past week while I am inside, has been GC21RDH. This Puzzle Cache has numbers hidden in a series of images in order to determine the coordinates. Some of them were easy, some were really tiny, and unfortunately at least 3 digits I have not yet found. At least it's a way to continue the game while stuck inside. There are 10 of us or so trying to figure this one out and so far nobody has found it after about a week.

 

I'm learning about where to buy cache containers and camo tape and witnessing how like every other community the same types of characters seem to want to cause grief, and some newbie will ask the same question every day. The only good thing about that is that if you don't mind lurking like myself, then you get to have all your questions answered without having to ask them

 

Thursday is supposed to be warm and I bought a new flashlight to go in search of a night only cache following some Firetacks... so hopefully my kid and I can visit that one.

[+JaneKathleen]

I have been caching for about two weeks now. Mostly urban since I live in a beach city. As of today, I have a total of 19 finds, and about that many (or maybe even a few more) DNFs. I'm learning everyday, and I'm having a lot of fun figuring things out (i.e. the different hide and camo types, etc.).

 

I tend to cache in two different ways. 1) Solo caching done on the way to or from work, 2) Caching with my boyfriend, or if he is unavailable, some other random friend that I have dragged out of the house.

 

Yesterday I went out with a friend and we had a really bad geo-day (searched for eight, only found three). Happily, we also got coffee, caught up on life, and generally enjoyed each others' company (as usual), BUT I came home tired, dirty, and a bit geo-discouraged.

 

I don't want hints or clues here, because I like figuring it out on my own. But on the other hand, it actually crossed my mind last night that maybe my brain just isn't suited for caching. I would love some encouragement right now. Sometimes I go to a cache page and I see two or three DNFs with a hundred or two hundred finds. When it takes me two or three trips to locate that cache, I feel like I'm doing something wrong...

 

I'd love to hear from some experienced cachers who didn't catch on right away either. This is normal, right?

Edited January 4, 2010 by JaneKathleen

[namiboy]

I have been caching for about two weeks now. Mostly urban since I live in a beach city. As of today, I have a total of 19 finds, and about that many (or maybe even a few more) DNFs. I'm learning everyday, and I'm having a lot of fun figuring things out (i.e. the different hide and camo types, etc.).

 

I tend to cache in two different ways. 1) Solo caching done on the way to or from work, 2) Caching with my boyfriend, or if he is unavailable, some other random friend that I have dragged out of the house.

 

Yesterday I went out with a friend and we had a really bad geo-day (searched for eight, only found three). Happily, we also got coffee, caught up on life, and generally enjoyed each others' company (as usual), BUT I came home tired, dirty, and a bit geo-discouraged.

 

I don't want hints or clues here, because I like figuring it out on my own. But on the other hand, it actually crossed my mind last night that maybe my brain just isn't suited for caching. I would love some encouragement right now. Sometimes I go to a cache page and I see two or three DNFs with a hundred or two hundred finds. When it takes me two or three trips to locate that cache, I feel like I'm doing something wrong...

 

I'd love to hear from some experienced cachers who didn't catch on right away either. This is normal, right?

 

no, it's not normal, most people catch on right away.

 

 

 

 

j/k, i couldn't resist. i didn't find my first 3 tries if i remember correctly.

[+JaneKathleen]

 

no, it's not normal, most people catch on right away.

 

 

j/k, i couldn't resist. i didn't find my first 3 tries if i remember correctly.

 

I consider teasing to be the most flattering form of encouragement Thanks namiboy.

 

I'm keeping at it

[+BrrrMo]

 

no, it's not normal, most people catch on right away.

 

 

j/k, i couldn't resist. i didn't find my first 3 tries if i remember correctly.

 

I consider teasing to be the most flattering form of encouragement Thanks namiboy.

 

I'm keeping at it

 

When you are new to this don't get discouraged, after you have 50 or 60 finds and can't find the Cache you are looking for, then get discouraged. : > }

[+sdrawkcab]

Read about deocaching in camping magazine last week. Checked it out on line. Don't have a GPS but thought I would could do it with a map and compass. Got the family invovled and...................

It rained non stop all day Boo hoo.

 

My wife and I picked up a older Garmin Vista. She got it from a friend at work, New in box. It has worked great for us. We did have to order a special cable to convert the RS 232 cable it came with to a USB plug. My sugestion would be to check out Pawn shops or online for a used one. This way you dont lay down a large chunck of change on a over qualified GPS unit. Then when you figure out just what options you need you could get a new one.

 

Sdrawkcab Alfa Male

[+atmospherium]

...it actually crossed my mind last night that maybe my brain just isn't suited for caching.

 

I started caching in April '09 and have 400 finds under my belt now. Not sure how many DNFs, but plenty. After trying my hand at just about every type of cache available I have come to some conclusions:

 

Any cache that requires the least amount of mental exertion is not for me. I can't do puzzle caches or any that require math equations. My brain ISN'T suited for that type of activity.

 

I also don't do caches that require stealth. I'm extremely uncomfortable in the public eye anyways, so trying to be unobtrusive while caching is too much for my nerves.

 

So, I focus on the hiking caches, the park and woodland caches, the rural countryside caches. I've climbed trees, crawled into caves, waded creeks, and climbed mountains. It's been great fun.

 

There have been frustrating days when I couldn't seem to find anything and felt like the worst cacher in the world, and then there have been days when I snagged every cache and felt like I could do no wrong.

 

My advice from one beginner to another. Give yourself time to explore all the different kinds of hides there are. Do the ones you enjoy and forget about the ones you don't. Expect bad days. Nobody finds them all. If you get discouraged, go after some really easy ones to boost your confidence.

[+D.D.Geocachers]

My fiancee and I have been geocaching for just a week now, and it's been a ton of fun!

 

I can't imagine how anyone would be able to go caching without a GPSr though -- if you've been successful, I'm impressed!

 

My tools for caching are:

 

1. GPSr - Garmin Etrex H. I love this GPSr - with the WAAS, it's amazingly accurate down to 3 feet. The only feature I'd like is a way to store notes, but of course for that I'd need to upgrade to a more expensive unit.

 

2. Silva compass -- I know that many GPSr units have electronic compasses, but I've been using Silva's products for more than 20 years have have been very happy with them. It's very amusing to watch the "compass" on my Etrex H spin around like a soda in a teenage game of "spin the bottle" when I'm standing near my destination -- I find a real compass is very helpful for zeroing in on caches.

 

3. Topos. For $8, one can order a detailed topo map of any part of the US from the USGS. I stick with the usual 15 minute maps, which cover a lot of area - not the best for detailed resolution of a particular area, unfortunately. In my humble opinion, if you can not navigate though a wilderness area with just a topo map and a compass, it's probably not the best idea to go trapsing around with just a GPSr. Ideally, you should be able to find your way back from any trip with nothing but your memory, but that is not the norm these days, of course. Failure of your GPSr, bad weather, or any other problem could arise at any time... if you are depending on your track back to get you back to your car, you might be very unhappy if you find yourself 5 miles from nowhere.

 

4. Gloves. I know, sounds silly. But I tell you, I never touch anything around a cache site without decent leather gloves on. Why? I hate bugs ;O hehehehehe... No, but seriously, just the other day my fiancee found a cache that had a large adult black widow spider no more than 1 foot from the cache. Imagine if she'd not been wearing gloves, and that spider and decided he was sick and tired of silly humans bothering him at home? Not a nice way to spend an afternoon...

 

5. Good Flashlight. Yes, I know, another item that many people might think is not necessary. I disagree -- being able to see clearly where it is that you are going to be reaching, searching, standing, sitting, or sticking your nose into is critical. I use a model that has 9 LEDs and runs on lithium batteries. I used to use an old maglite for years and years, but the LEDs are just so much brighter that I can't recommend anyone use anything else. Without a good flashlight, we would have never seen the big mamma black widow spider mentioned above.