Help! My first out of town cache hunt

[+dreddd2000]

My company is sending me to Saint Louis at the end of February for some training. Now, this means that my evenings will be free and since I'm not normally a big bar or TV fan, I thought I might do some out of town caching. I've already grabbed the descriptions of every cache within five miles of my hotel, just to give myself a choice.

 

Here's my problem: I've never been to Saint Louis before and I really don't like traveling that much. My co-workers and friends are warning me that I don't want to wander into the wrong areas of Saint Louis (true of any city, but I don't bother to contradict them). So, multiple complications. I'll be searching an unknown area and in the dark at that. Can anyone who might be local to the area give me any pointers? (Did I mention that I'm a nervous traveler at best? I mean, I trust my GPS to get me there, but I'm not always sure that I trust the "there" it's got me too. If you know what I mean.)

 

I'll be staying on Carondelet near Charles A Shaw park and everything I've chosen to grab is near there.

 

 

Stupidity cannot be cured with money, or through education, or by legislation. Stupidity is not a sin; the victim can't help being stupid. But stupidity is the only universal capital crime; the sentance is death, there is no appeal, and execution is carried out automatically and without pity. --Lazarus Long

[+cachew nut]

I do it all of the time. Just think of your hotel as home, and hit a few close ones 'close to home' to warm up. That will give you a feel for your surroundings. From the looks of your profile photo, you look big enough that other people will most likely leave you alone.

[+Markwell]

You could also contact BruceS. I think he's hit every cache within a 50 mile radius of St. Louis.

 

You also might have a lot of luck with the St. Louis Area Geocachers Association.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

[+DustyJacket]

Just don't go over the bridge into East St. Louis

 

DustyJacket

...If life was fair, a banana split would cure cancer.

[+RGS]

You'll be staying in Clayton which is a very nice area. You're safe there. There aren't really any caches in the City proper except for Forest Park, and you'll be OK there and there are micros in the Zoo in Forest Park. The only two I would not do later at night is Hammertime in Welston and Urban Wall (virtual) along the floodwall downtown. There are lots of caches South and West of Clayton where you will be fine. Across the river in E. St. Louis I'd stay away from, but Alton, Belleville, Collinsville, are OK areas. Lot's of the caches are in city and County parks, and most have hours of sunrise to sunset. HW 40 and I-70 across the MO river has a ton of caches, and all are safe to do at night.

If you want more info or any specifics, see our website at http://www.geostl.com and send an email and we'll help you out.

 

Rich (RGS)

St. Louis