Can you assist me in getting started as a complete beginner?

[fujitora35]

So I'm an avid rider, but my favorite aspect of cycling is the element of adventure. I enjoy visiting new locations and discovering routes that I would never have discovered if I were in a car. When I asked on a cycling forum about combining another passion with cycling, several individuals suggested geocaching. As a result, here I am.

I've downloaded the app. I'm just looking for some basic guidelines to follow, as well as any dos and don'ts.

I'm thinking I'll use the app to find a cache. I rode to the site, found the cache, registered it on the app, and got a job. Is there anything else I should know or am I all set?

 

call bomber

Edited May 28, 2022 by fujitora35

[+niraD]

2 hours ago, fujitora35 said:

So I'm an avid rider, but my favorite aspect of cycling is the element of adventure. I enjoy visiting new locations and discovering routes that I would never have discovered if I were in a car. When I asked on a cycling forum about combining another passion with cycling, several individuals suggested geocaching. As a result, here I am.

I've downloaded the app. I'm just looking for some basic guidelines to follow, as well as any dos and don'ts.

I'm thinking I'll use the app to find a cache. I rode to the site, found the cache, registered it on the app, and got a job. Is there anything else I should know or am I all set?

Welcome to the obsession geocaching! Here is some general advice for beginners that I've posted before:
 

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 GPS device 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.
 
See also:

• How to hone your Geo-Senses (blog post)

[+TommyGator]

Since you already have an account, I recommend you contact some local cachers and ask for some guidance.    You might even get invited to accompany them on a caching run, and maybe make a few geo-friends in the process.

 

Try to attend a local event where you can meet other cachers and discuss/ask anything you like.  Geocachers tend to be happy to share advice.

 

To find some other cachers, simply use either the app or geocaching.com to identify a cache near you.  The logs for that cache will identify those who have already found it, and odds are that many of those previous finders will be local.  Simply click on their name and send them a message.

 

Welcome and good luck!

[+kunarion]

4 hours ago, fujitora35 said:

So I'm an avid rider, but my favorite aspect of cycling is the element of adventure. I enjoy visiting new locations and discovering routes that I would never have discovered if I were in a car. When I asked on a cycling forum about combining another passion with cycling, several individuals suggested geocaching. As a result, here I am.

I've downloaded the app. I'm just looking for some basic guidelines to follow, as well as any dos and don'ts.

I'm thinking I'll use the app to find a cache. I rode to the site, found the cache, registered it on the app, and got a job. Is there anything else I should know or am I all set?

 

Welcome!

 

Within the App, under “More” is the Help Center that has text info and great (and short) intro videos, with links to a bunch more.

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by kunarion

[+CAVinoGal]

Using the app while you are out on the cycling trail will likely work in most cases, depending on cell coverage.  I recommend you log into geocaching.com on a laptop or desktop and view the full site, and explore geocaching that way.  The full website offers more information than the app; you can see what caches are available on trails and such, and read the details at your leisure, then go out and use the app to find them!

 

Previous advice about attending local events and meeting local cachers to guide you and cache along with you is all good!

[+NanCycle]

On 5/11/2022 at 4:08 AM, fujitora35 said:

So I'm an avid rider, but my favorite aspect of cycling is the element of adventure. I enjoy visiting new locations and discovering routes that I would never have discovered if I were in a car. When I asked on a cycling forum about combining another passion with cycling, several individuals suggested geocaching. As a result, here I am.

I've downloaded the app. I'm just looking for some basic guidelines to follow, as well as any dos and don'ts.

I'm thinking I'll use the app to find a cache. I rode to the site, found the cache, registered it on the app, and got a job. Is there anything else I should know or am I all set?

I couldn't help noticing that you didn't say that you replaced the cache where you had found it.  You did, didn't you?  And does "got a job" mean anything in regard to the cache, or did you just mean that you are now employed somewhere or other, or are you just spouting nonsense?

[+K13]

On 5/11/2022 at 5:08 AM, fujitora35 said:

So I'm an avid rider, but my favorite aspect of cycling is the element of adventure. I enjoy visiting new locations and discovering routes that I would never have discovered if I were in a car. When I asked on a cycling forum about combining another passion with cycling, several individuals suggested geocaching. As a result, here I am.

I've downloaded the app. I'm just looking for some basic guidelines to follow, as well as any dos and don'ts.

I'm thinking I'll use the app to find a cache. I rode to the site, found the cache, registered it on the app, and got a job. Is there anything else I should know or am I all set?

 

As basic as I can be for the How To:  You fInd a geocache. Sign your geoNic on the log inside. Replace everything as you found it. Tell of your exploits in your on line log. (If you don't sign the paper log, it isn't a find in this game/hobby.)

[+ras_oscar]

As you progress in the hoobby you will discover tools that are helpful to have with you when you cache. I have built a caching bag for this purpose. Its an eagle creek fanny pack retrofitted with the strap from an old laptop bag. It contains all the TOTTs ( Tools of the trade) and allows me to grab and go when I decide to go out and find some caches. I can link you to a thread listing some tools people carry if you  are interested.