Made a Rookie/Newbie Mistake

[+Team Abarth]

When we first started, and came across the caches that had codes in them for the other levels/final cache, we were "nah..let's just find the caches". Now that we've done a couple that have more to them than just finding the cache, we want to do the ones you have to find the clues. Now I have to go back and get the codes for the ones we've done. Fortunately we haven't that many...but still. Grabbed the code today for the "Monster" one after work we did. There's a few different ones for our local parks, but only have to go back to one park for 4 different clues. The other ones we haven't done yet. So any other newbies out there that are thinking what we thought....grab the codes anyways, make notes..personal logs..etc. You may end up wanting to do them after all.

[+L0ne.R]

When we first started, and came across the caches that had codes in them for the other levels/final cache, we were "nah..let's just find the caches". Now that we've done a couple that have more to them than just finding the cache, we want to do the ones you have to find the clues. Now I have to go back and get the codes for the ones we've done. Fortunately we haven't that many...but still. Grabbed the code today for the "Monster" one after work we did. There's a few different ones for our local parks, but only have to go back to one park for 4 different clues. The other ones we haven't done yet. So any other newbies out there that are thinking what we thought....grab the codes anyways, make notes..personal logs..etc. You may end up wanting to do them after all.

 

I've been at it for 14 years and still forget to check for the codes. I rarely get the final mystery cache in a series. I got one last year though, because it was a short series in the same park. It was easy to do all 4 within an hour and not a big deal when I had to go back to one of the caches.

[+Arktoi]

When we first started, and came across the caches that had codes in them for the other levels/final cache, we were "nah..let's just find the caches". Now that we've done a couple that have more to them than just finding the cache, we want to do the ones you have to find the clues. Now I have to go back and get the codes for the ones we've done. Fortunately we haven't that many...but still. Grabbed the code today for the "Monster" one after work we did. There's a few different ones for our local parks, but only have to go back to one park for 4 different clues. The other ones we haven't done yet. So any other newbies out there that are thinking what we thought....grab the codes anyways, make notes..personal logs..etc. You may end up wanting to do them after all.

 

On my very first day geocaching, I went with a friend, and the second one we found had some kind of code or clue in it for another one...it was listed as a traditional and I simply didn't pay enough attention to the description, which clearly stated that there would be a clue in it - and of course when I was talking to my partner in crime about it later he said, "Yeah, I saw it on the inside of the lid - were we supposed to do something with that?" D'oh!

[+cerberus1]

I'm a stickler for reading cache pages, so am aware of a few that have some code for grabbing that extra hide, but we've only completed those that fit in our preferred cache type.

If stages require roadside, or parking lot hides (those rare to do), we'll only hit the caches that we enjoy, forgoing that final.

[+noncentric]

So far, I've revisited at least 3 caches because I forgot to make note of the codes that were on the log sheets.

 

There is another series I'm working on where only some of the caches in the series have codes. For that series, I forgot to note the codes for at least 5 of the caches. I'm hoping that the 5 I missed are ones that didn't have a code. I may end up contacting the CO's to see if they can tell me whether their caches had codes or not, so I only go back to the ones that did have codes.

 

Fortunately, all of these caches were relatively close and so it's not a big deal to go back and refind them. I usually log a "Write Note" for those caches to note my visit and the cache's condition.

[+Bigmada]

I did the same thing. My first find had a clue for a final. I knew what it was for but I had no plans on playing long enough to ever find all the clues. About 6 months later I had them all but one, which I still have not found, but was able to get the final by looking at the map.

[+dprovan]

It's good advice to write down the codes just in case, but the other side of this coin is that I've written down many codes for series that are no longer intact. Some were already half gone before I collected the first code for them. Once in a while I'll run into the codes saved one place or another and smile at the memories.

[+on4bam]

I have a small compact camera just for caching. As we prefer multis and others that require more work that just logging I take pictures of every WP or any info found in caches (besides taking note in our "caching notebook"). Not only does this help to get bonus caches it saved a lot of time and extra distance to walk if we made a mistake entering the coordinates for a next stage or a value for the final or bonus.

Once back home all this info is entered into GSAK too.

[+WarNinjas]

I would send the CO a message and see if he/she would be willing to cut you some slack being new and send the codes for the ones you found. Worth a shot.

I did the same thing when I started. I read about collecting the codes but it was around 50 miles from home so I figured I would never find them all. Later after playing for a while I realized I work in that area a lot and have found most of them. A local cacher helped me out with the missing codes and even 4 years later I don't think I have found them all and have not found the final but it taught me to start adding the codes to the notes on geocaching.com.

Another mistake I made was going for some very hard terrain caches with codes. It took my daughter and I all weekend to collect them all. I added every code to the note section of my app so I thought I was good to go. Well about a year later we returned to collect the final and I looked for the codes! I didn't have any. Turns out I added the codes to the app on my phone and had changed phones and the codes were not saved on geocaching.com like I thought. I sent a message to the CO and he helped us out.

[+Team Abarth]

I actually only need 4, 2 of which are easy hop out of the car ones, the other 2 are a 10 minute walk to get to so not to bad...all 4 are in the same park, so not that worried, might take me an hour total. If we had a bunch that were spread out...might do that. Good advice. Thanks.

 

Posted this to try to help other J.E.E.P.'s/newbies that might be thinking what we thought, and might "regret" it later.

[+MtnMutt-ProDuckShins]

Since you'll be driving a Fiat it should take less time and parking would not be hard as you could hide it under parallel sticks.

 

In the NW, you would be amazed what you find under parallel sticks.

[+Team Abarth]

Since you'll be driving a Fiat it should take less time and parking would not be hard as you could hide it under parallel sticks.

 

In the NW, you would be amazed what you find under parallel sticks.

 

yeahyeahyeah

[+IOError]

"There's only one way to drive a Fiat, and that's without mercy" -James May

Off Topic: Love the James May quote!

Edited March 4, 2016 by IOError

[+Team Abarth]

"There's only one way to drive a Fiat, and that's without mercy" -James May

Off Topic: Love the James May quote!

 

Thanks....I miss that show. The American version of Top Gear was no where near as good.