Roadtripping and Cacheing

[+nutkin81]

So first I'd like to suggest a category easier than easy: caching for dummies! Because yes, while you will notice that we did manage to find some cache's we are still dumbfounded when we get to "easy" ones with comments like "takes less than a minute" and we still can not find them!!!! ARGH!!!

 

But more importantly - let me ask - if you are taking a road trip do you plan your trip around caches or do you just like open your App and find nearby caches while you are on the road?

 

We recently went to Chincoteague and when we got there we obviously opened the app and found a few caches. However, on the way home, we didn't quite figure out a method of caching - we did stop for lunch and found one there - but along the roadway - we just didn't quite plan ahead maybe? I kept opening the app, but there seemed to be no method to the madness so we drove by several and didn't stop. So what kind of planning do you do on roadtrips?

 

We will be going from Annapolis to Wareham Massachusetts this summer. Any tips, good caches we must see? etc? Hoping to get at least a state badge for every state we travel through.... just haven't wrapped my head around the planning (I get distracted/overwhelmed easily).

 

Thanks for any tips!

 

Nut

[+coachstahly]

I just did a 3 day trip to get Marooned, Tour of Stone Mountain multi, Beaver Cache (for the others with me - I had already found it), Modoc Stash, Octopus Garden, and Clingmans's Dome (with others thrown in there to round out the travel time). I started planning this about 2 months ago and started with the MUST do caches, which are listed above. Then I looked at the route I might be taking and added virtuals and ECs that might be worth a quick stop to stretch our legs and break up the monotony of a long drive. Multis, which are my favorite type, got ignored. They just take too long. We also avoided most traditional caches because we could have cached all the way from start to finish and we STILL wouldn't be back yet.

 

Once I had my list I looked at drive times and estimated how long each cache would take and then worked a time frame from start to finish. Any cache that might not be a 24/7 cache and we would be passing through in the dark got removed as well. Finally, I asked those who were coming with me which caches they wanted to add. We ended up adding three more to the list. Once we were on the road, my passengers spent time looking at the caches coming up along our route and we managed to add about 5-6 more using that method, assuming we had time to spare. This trip was my first long distance cache specific trip (after almost 5 years no less).

 

For my family vacation this summer (to Hilton Head, SC), I used a PQ and got all the caches within a certain area. Then I created a bookmark list for caches outside Hilton Head and where we might take a day trip (Savannah, GA for example). I also joined a FB page for cachers in the area and asked for recommendations. Once I had that complete, I ran a PQ and merged the two into one database on GSAK. I filtered out by type first, eliminating most traditionals that had minimal/zero favorite points unless their size was regular or large and unless it was a recommended cache. I looked at puzzles and if I couldn't solve it (or figure out what to do to solve it) in about 5-10 minutes, I removed it. Even though there's no way I'll have time for all of them, I kept the multis. ECs and virtuals also made the cut. Virtuals are one of the few types of caches that my wife appreciates (sometimes). I will also look for events in the area to see if I can squeeze one in. I always enjoy meeting cachers from other states and countries. I'll run another PQ for newer caches published once I get closer to departure to see if there are any worth adding and I'll also update my current list to check for archivals or caches that might have been disabled.

 

Finally, when I'm actually there, I'll take a look at my app to see if there are any spur of the moment caches I might be able to convince the family to quickly stop for. Occasionally I look at caches that might fulfill (or get me closer to fulfilling) a challenge. The KY Fizzy has a date specific requirement so I'll examine caches that might work for that. I need an 8 for the alpha-numeric challenge and will add that if I find one. State oldest caches go to the front of the list. I'm now done with my Jasmer grid so I don't need to focus on that anymore. If I know in advance, that's my usual MO. It's a lot of work but I find it worth the time. There's so much out there that I have to filter and minimize to make the most of my time.

 

There's NO WAY I'll be able to find all the caches on my family vacation, but whenever the opportunity presents itself, I'll find what I've pre-selected in order to enjoy what little caching time I might get on a family vacation.

Edited April 13, 2015 by coachstahly

[+cerberus1]

PQs, bookmarks, cache along a route are premium member functions.

Searches for basic members is very limited now.

- So unlike coachstahly, you have a lotta planning, or as you're doing now, pull over and open the app.

Maybe visit the US subforums, looking for State and local Geocaching Organizations for the area you're headed and ask in a local or facebook group for caches that definitely warrant a stop.

Edited April 13, 2015 by cerberus1

[+coachstahly]

Can you still get a free 30 day trial membership? I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't a premium member other than possibly post here and hope for the best. That would be a lot more work.

 

I guess I'd start with the map and the route you were planning on taking and then clicking on each one to see if it was one I'd want. That will take a LONG time. Bookmark lists (along the right side on a cache page) are a good area to look too.

Edited April 13, 2015 by coachstahly

[+coachstahly]

This shared list shows you the oldest caches still active in each state. Edited April 13, 2015 by coachstahly

[+nutkin81]

Wow! I'm glad Cerberus explained that - I was like what the heck is a PQ? and GSAK? The link to the list of oldest ones is really cool. I will have to keep that one! As there is one in Boston which is on our itinerary!

 

And yeah - I keep contemplating becoming premium member - I did buy the app, so I'm upgraded on that, but every time I go out and don't FIND it, I get discouraged. So I haven't totally sold myself on being premium yet. As a family we keep saying "this is supposed to be fun" but after searching for 30+ minutes without finding anything, we are all grumpy.

 

I will say this weekend, even though we did not find the what was an "obvious" cache and should take less than 15 minutes to find... we did explore the woods a bit and found a pool (would not call it a pond) of tadpoles and eggs - so we took some home and put them in our pond. So we didn't leave without some gratification, but after looking at the photos of all the folks that found this one.... we still feel a lil dumb. Now as long as the eggs don't turn into snake heads we are all good!

[+cerberus1]

Yeah, luckily the proliferation of micros didn't start until we were playin' awhile.

 

On the right of your profile page, there's Search for Geocaches (filter out finds).

At the bottom of each search page is a check box for Highlight beginner caches.

Go after small to large caches for a while, building your experience (and ego) a bit, skipping the micros until you feel secure in your new-found search skills.

[+niraD]

So first I'd like to suggest a category easier than easy: caching for dummies! Because yes, while you will notice that we did manage to find some cache's we are still dumbfounded when we get to "easy" ones with comments like "takes less than a minute" and we still can not find them!!!! ARGH!!!

Unfortunately, a lot of the caches with "easy" difficulty ratings are easy for experienced geocachers because they're in the typical spots that experienced geocachers know to search. But that doesn't help new geocachers who haven't figured out where the typical spots are yet.

 

Some of the typical spots are described in geocaching glossaries, for example GeoLex: The Lexicon of Geocaching. And at the end of this reply, I'll add some beginners tips that I've posted to the forum before.

 

But more importantly - let me ask - if you are taking a road trip do you plan your trip around caches or do you just like open your App and find nearby caches while you are on the road?

I generally plan the caches around the trip, or I just open my app and choose a nearby cache. It's very rare that I plan a trip around caches.

 

If I have time, I like to check out the puzzle caches in the area, to try to solve some of them before the trip. If there's an on-site puzzle or a multi-cache that provides a walking tour of the area, all the better.

 

And here are the beginner tips I promised:

 

A common recommendation for beginners is to stick with small size, regular size, and large size caches. Until you're more experienced, avoid micro size caches, some of which are smaller than most beginners can imagine (sometimes called "nanos"). Save those for later, after you have some experience.

 

Also, stick with caches that have a difficulty rating of no more than 2 stars . Save the more difficult ones for later. You may also want to choose caches with easy terrain ratings. (The difficulty rating tells you how hard it is to find the cache once you get there. The terrain rating tells you how hard it is to get there.) And it is often best to start with traditional caches, which will be at the published coordinates. Multi-caches or mystery/puzzle caches or other cache types can require more work just to figure out where the container is located.

 

Under ideal conditions, a consumer GPSr will be accurate to about 3m (10ft). That applies both to your device, and to the cache owner’s device, so you may find the container 5-6m (16-20ft) from ground zero under ideal conditions. Under less than ideal conditions, both GPSr readings can be much less accurate. Once you get within that distance of ground zero, put your device away and look around for places where a container could be hidden.

 

Where would you hide something? Do you notice anything unusual? Is anything too new, too old, too organized (e.g., UPS: an Unnatural Pile of Sticks/Stones), too symmetrical, not quite the right color or shape, etc.? Don’t look only on the ground; the cache may be knee-level, waist-level, eye-level, or overhead. How might the container be secured in place? With magnets? With a hook? With string? With fishing line? With something else? Does anything move when you touch it? (Be careful when touching things though.)

 

Go ahead and read the cache's additional hints (if provided), and read the past logs and look at any photos in the cache's image gallery. They may help you understand what you're looking for, and how/where it may be hidden. It may also help to look at some of the cache containers available online. For example, check out the cache containers sold by Groundspeak. Also, take a look at the Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's) thread in the forums, and check out some geocaching videos on YouTube.

[wandat24]

So first I'd like to suggest a category easier than easy: caching for dummies! Because yes, while you will notice that we did manage to find some cache's we are still dumbfounded when we get to "easy" ones with comments like "takes less than a minute" and we still can not find them!!!! ARGH!!!

 

But more importantly - let me ask - if you are taking a road trip do you plan your trip around caches or do you just like open your App and find nearby caches while you are on the road?

 

We recently went to Chincoteague and when we got there we obviously opened the app and found a few caches. However, on the way home, we didn't quite figure out a method of caching - we did stop for lunch and found one there - but along the roadway - we just didn't quite plan ahead maybe? I kept opening the app, but there seemed to be no method to the madness so we drove by several and didn't stop. So what kind of planning do you do on roadtrips?

 

We will be going from Annapolis to Wareham Massachusetts this summer. Any tips, good caches we must see? etc? Hoping to get at least a state badge for every state we travel through.... just haven't wrapped my head around the planning (I get distracted/overwhelmed easily).

 

Thanks for any tips!

 

Nut

 

To say when we were caching "in the day" (we had a long break in there due to not having any, or very few, within 100 or so miles from the house), that we planned our trips around caching would be Almost a lie. With the exceptions of 2 last second decision trips, we would plan One location to go to. We drive to all our vacation spots (which we haven't done in a while either) so we would run PQs for certain areas and determine our drive by where we could get some (we also have a Nuvi GPS for the car). Now that we live in a new area that has LOTS of caches within 30 miles of home we're getting back into caching. We are, however without a GPS of any kind. We use only our phones. So right now we get to a spot and open the app. Otherwise, the next time we take a trip We will still do a PQ to determine the best spot for a short stop, but use our maps from the phones to get to the general location and then we will open the app there. I actually hope to get a new GPS (handheld) to add to the fun. As for the "takes less than a minute" but you're still having problems... We had some problems when first getting started. It takes a bit of patience. I got to were I could get out of the car at just about any of them and go almost straight to the cache. Except for the hike ones lol.

[+ecanderson]

So first I'd like to suggest a category easier than easy: caching for dummies! Because yes, while you will notice that we did manage to find some cache's we are still dumbfounded when we get to "easy" ones with comments like "takes less than a minute" and we still can not find them!!!! ARGH!!!

As has been alluded to earlier, it's an experience thing. The first time you find a micro under a lamp skirt in a parking lot (the box at the base of a light post in a parking lot or wherever) will be the last time you don't look there when the GPS points you to one. For an experienced cacher, the target will have been obvious from the moment they entered the lot. After you find your first 100 or so, you'll have probably seen most of the 1.0/1.5 ways of hiding things, and they'll be as easy for you as for everyone else. Then, feeling brave, you'll begin to tackle the ones with higher difficulty levels, and you (I hope) will be amazed at what your local cachers have done to conceal their caches. We've taken days where we have looked ONLY for caches rated 3.0 and above just for the sake of variety (after a while, those ones under the lamp skirts get a bit old), and have seen some truly amazing designs out there. But it's best not to start with those . Work your way through the local ones of 2.0 or less first, and get a feel for common methods of creating hides before you go on to tackle the really tough ones.

[+ecanderson]

As to 'road tripping'. In that event, a LOT depends upon what you are using for a GPS. Especially for impromptu trips where you don't really have a plan for where you'll be, it is very difficult to work with a purpose built GPS because there's no way to really anticipate what you will need to load. It can certainly be done - but requires that you take a little computer along to keep loading your unit with caches from your immediate locale. This is one of the few times where even I will pull out my cell phone and use that to see what's in the neighborhood. There are some decent apps out there if you have a smart phone capable of running them.

 

However -- as others have noted, we sometimes know right where we're headed, and will pre-load caches from those areas before we leave home . For example, I'll be using my Garmin Oregon 450 when on Kauai in a month or two. It's no problem to load all of the caches on the island in one pop (there's less than 100), and I'll look for them as I get a chance. When cruising, I'll pre-load for the places we'll visit, and will sometimes even pick shore excursions that best allow for transportation to a few caches along the way when the number in the area is very limited or difficult to travel to otherwise (e.g., finding a cache in Guatemala).