Many geocaches to do in one day! How do I organize.

[ManasquanRiverMan22]

Hello. this is my first post on the forum.

 

There is a local park that has 18 caches by me, and I was wondering how to organize my plan to find them.

 

More info:

 

I use geo beagle for android so the caches have no name just the gc

What do you do?

 

HELP plaese.

(thanks in advance!)

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

What always helps me on big caching trips is a printed out map with some, or all of the caches on there.

Do you know the trails in the park? If you don't you might be able to find some on the internet. What I usually do if I don't know the trails is find one on the internet, then, using reference points(such as roads,lakes) I match it to Google Earth as an image overlay. From there I use the GE Cache viewer to see the caches and to see on what trails they're on, and sometimes print it.

Hope this helps!

[+ngrrfan]

There is a local park that has 18 caches by me, and I was wondering how to organize my plan to find them.

 

More info:

 

I use geo beagle for android so the caches have no name just the gc

What do you do?

 

HELP plaese.

(thanks in advance!)

When I'm hunting for a number of caches, I make a bookmark list, run a pocket query, load that into GSAK and then number them in the order I want to do them in.

This method works for a small area or a long road trip. Right now I'm working on a road trip that would probably take about 10 hours and cover about 400 miles all for 47 caches (more than we'll actually do but we always have backups) that satisfy a couple of challenge caches.

 

So look at them on a map and make a list of how you want to find them.

[+Arndtwe]

I would start with switching the app you are using... I would recommend trying something a little more functional called 'c:geo'. This app has a live map view that will show you all the geocaches around you, including their names, GC, ratings, description, etc... pretty much everything you need on the trail. I know this can be overwhelming to switch around and try to get organized, but you will find it to be more helpful.

 

Keep in mind, you do not need to find all of them in one day. Make a couple days of it, especially if it is near you. My recommendation would be to find good parking, start there and move to the closest one, then move to the closest one from there, and so on and so forth.

 

Don't expect to find them all, some may be missing, hard to find or you just might completely miss it. You're new to this, it's okay to not be successful, most people have a hard time getting started and will quit out of frustration. Don't let this happen. Be patient and have fun no matter what the outcome is!

[+Arndtwe]

There is a local park that has 18 caches by me, and I was wondering how to organize my plan to find them.

 

More info:

 

I use geo beagle for android so the caches have no name just the gc

What do you do?

 

HELP plaese.

(thanks in advance!)

When I'm hunting for a number of caches, I make a bookmark list, run a pocket query, load that into GSAK and then number them in the order I want to do them in.

This method works for a small area or a long road trip. Right now I'm working on a road trip that would probably take about 10 hours and cover about 400 miles all for 47 caches (more than we'll actually do but we always have backups) that satisfy a couple of challenge caches.

 

So look at them on a map and make a list of how you want to find them.

 

This is great advice, and should definitely be remembered.... but, seeing as the OP is a basic member and new, they don't have that capability and may not want to pay for those features for something they don't know if they will even like.

 

Like I said, great advice. Just might not be applicable for this individual at this time.

 

EDIT: Also make sure to log any DNF's (did not find) logs that you may have, these are important to helping others, the owners of the geocache, and the game in general. And there is no shame in logging one of these either.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Arndtwe

[+Moose Mob]

Hello. this is my first post on the forum.

 

There is a local park that has 18 caches by me, and I was wondering how to organize my plan to find them.

 

More info:

 

I use geo beagle for android so the caches have no name just the gc

What do you do?

 

HELP plaese.

(thanks in advance!)

 

One at a time.

 

Plan a route that is most efficient. All will depend on where the caches are in relation to each other. Caches tend to be in 'clusters' in large parking lots, hiking trails, or city parks. Try to stop and walk when you are able. You will see these clusters when the caches are displayed together on the same map.

 

For example, caches on the right side are easier to get than left. You may want to drive down the road and get the caches on the right, then turn around and get the caches on the others side.

 

The goal is to have fun, so be sure whatever way you decide to do it, make sure it's something you might enjoy.

 

18 caches doesn't sound like a lot by todays standards. It should be easy once you do this a time or two.

 

edit: punctuation and clarity

Edited February 1, 2012 by Moose Mob

[+briansnat]

I just go and don't worry so much about any sort of plan. When I find one, I look for next nearest and if it makes sense, I go after it. If it doesn't make sense then I go after the next one that does make sense.

Edited February 1, 2012 by briansnat

[+Ambrosia]

I am so old school. If I'm just doing a few caches, I still put things on paper. I open up a notebook page on my computer and copy and paste the name of the caches, GC numbers, hints, etc. I order the caches roughly in the order I think I will find them. Print that puppy, and go!

[Kayota]

It's not very efficient, but I put them in Google Maps and move them around until I see the order I'd like to do them in, and then I write them down on paper in order with any necessary info. Kind of like the above poster I guess! I'm hunting with a Garmin Nuvi. I did mine by hand last time but I'll probably do it on the computer and print next time.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Kayota

[+sTuRgi]

I am so old school. If I'm just doing a few caches, I still put things on paper. I open up a notebook page on my computer and copy and paste the name of the caches, GC numbers, hints, etc. I order the caches roughly in the order I think I will find them. Print that puppy, and go!

 

We cache with our 3 kids and 1 large dog. So being prepared is the key, and as much as we like to think were techno geeks, we still print out each cache and create a list. K I S S !!!! Worx best!!!

[+Totem Clan]

It's not very efficient, but I put them in Google Maps and move them around until I see the order I'd like to do them in, and then I write them down on paper in order with any necessary info. Kind of like the above poster I guess! I'm hunting with a Garmin Nuvi. I did mine by hand last time but I'll probably do it on the computer and print next time.

One of the best things you can do is get a Premium Membership and use PQ's and download them to your GPS or to a database like GSAK. Then you can sort, sift, and whatever to your heart's desire. Then send the ones you want to the GPS and go.

[10ldhiker]

I just started and did not get the premium membership yet. Looking like I will soon though. I have a small notebook and list the ones I want to find that day and the order I think that I will get them. I also write down the hint and a nearby landmark if there is one so that If I have to swap the order around I can. Works for me.

[Kayota]

It's not very efficient, but I put them in Google Maps and move them around until I see the order I'd like to do them in, and then I write them down on paper in order with any necessary info. Kind of like the above poster I guess! I'm hunting with a Garmin Nuvi. I did mine by hand last time but I'll probably do it on the computer and print next time.

One of the best things you can do is get a Premium Membership and use PQ's and download them to your GPS or to a database like GSAK. Then you can sort, sift, and whatever to your heart's desire. Then send the ones you want to the GPS and go.

 

I just have my car GPS though, so I'd still need paper. Aside from that I've been thinking of that, so I'll probably get a premium membership sometime.

[+Ambrosia]

I am so old school. If I'm just doing a few caches, I still put things on paper. I open up a notebook page on my computer and copy and paste the name of the caches, GC numbers, hints, etc. I order the caches roughly in the order I think I will find them. Print that puppy, and go!

 

We cache with our 3 kids and 1 large dog. So being prepared is the key, and as much as we like to think were techno geeks, we still print out each cache and create a list. K I S S !!!! Worx best!!!

 

I still use GSAK on my laptop, but that can be clunky/tedious and you certainly don't take that with you to the cache. I still find having a paper in my pocket to be the most convenient thing while caching.

[+edscott]

Go to the Google map satellite image of the area and zoom in or out so the caches you intend to do cover as much of the screen as possible. Look for trails, roads, cliffs, streams, etc that may affect the straight line routes between them so your route is all on the map. Then I take a screen shot that includes all the caches with the scale in the lower left corner. Print that map and figure the most efficient way to get to them in a single loop. If you are using a GPS it is still good to know when it is pointing you toward an impassable obstacle so you can correct your course without investing a lot of time on a route that will not work. I number the caches in the order that I want to visit them. If you then put the coordinates in the GPS or make a close up map of each ground zero you're ready to go.

 

PS just did this for another park that's not that far from you.. 81 caches on the master map so i had to subdivide it onto 5 separate areas.. one for each parking spot.

Edited February 11, 2012 by edscott

[+Sol seaker]

Before I had my paperless GPS that carries all the cache page info, I used to write up each cache.

 

I would write the name, GC number, anything relevant on the cache page that I might need to know, the coords, and the hint. Then I'd do a quick check to make sure the last time someone looked for it, it was found. If the last time was not found, then I check to see how long since it had been found. This would help me if I didn't find it, because the cache might be missing.

 

If I am doing a number of caches I like to print out a sheet of where the caches are.

Toward the bottom of the cache page there is a map that enlarges. I click on that and print that up. That is a big help.

Then I look at that and decide the route I'm going to take. I used to list the caches in order of how I was going to find them.

 

Now I don't have to write up the caches anymore because my GPS holds that info, but I still like to print out a picture of the map and write up a route if I am going to look for a lot of them.

 

A bit of planning ahead can make a day of caching go a whole lot easier.

[+TiggyD]

I print a good map off a separate computer programme and add the cache names with something I call a pen. I like to keep it simples.