Planning for hitting multiple caches

[+Glorfindel]

This might go in the newbie board, but as I have been doing this since July I would like to give myself the benefit of the doubt.

 

The question is simple. What do you do when planning to hit multiple caches in one outing? I guess I realize the obvious such as checking the GPS for "nearest cache" and just going from point to point, but I wanted to find out what other type of planning you guys might do to be prepared for whatever the GPS spits out as the nearest cache.

 

I am headed to McCall this weekend and am hoping to hit a long sting of caches all the way up and while there.

 

Looking forward to the feedback!

 

Cheers

Glorfindel

[Rubbertoe]

I don't really plan... just every couple of weeks I download all the caches within 25 miles of here, just in case I happen to be somewhere that I hadn't planned.

 

Sometimes something will take me to Columbus, about 20 miles NW of here - and it is nice to know that I'll have my GPS preloaded with cache info for the area.

 

Gotta watch out though, sometimes a cache gets archived before you get a chance to update the info in your GPS. That can lead to a frustrating afternoon.

 

- Toe.

 

--==< Rubbertoe's WEBCAM >==--

[Rubbertoe]

I don't really plan... just every couple of weeks I download all the caches within 25 miles of here, just in case I happen to be somewhere that I hadn't planned.

 

Sometimes something will take me to Columbus, about 20 miles NW of here - and it is nice to know that I'll have my GPS preloaded with cache info for the area.

 

Gotta watch out though, sometimes a cache gets archived before you get a chance to update the info in your GPS. That can lead to a frustrating afternoon.

 

- Toe.

 

--==< Rubbertoe's WEBCAM >==--

[+sbell111]

I'm kind of manic about planning. I pull all of the cache pages for the area that I will be visiting. Plot the locations on a map (I use MapQuest). I then plan my route through the caches.

 

BruceS described his method on a thread not too long ago. You might find it if you do a search on his forum posts.

[+ZachNLiam]

Here's what I do:

 

Start at whatever coordinate you want to "center" from on the geocaching hide&seek a cache page. That will give you the closest 25.

 

Put a check box in each cache you're interested. Then download the info to easyGPS, but DON'T open the file. Save it instead.

 

Hit next, and do this until you have a couple hunderd or so caches (or however many you want).

 

Then load all those files you created (you had to rename them as you went - I just add a 2, 3, 4, etc to the end of the name) into GeoBuddy. It's a free program at http://www.geobuddy.com .

 

GeoBuddy will allow you to take all those pages and merge them, and then you can save that merged page as a MapSource Waypoints file. Import that file into MapSource and you'll see all your caches on the map page. Then you can download maps (if your gps supports it) AND waypoints all at the same time, instead of one page at a time.

 

Once I've done that I'll find an obvious path "through" a string of caches, and go from there. Works for me!

[ifranz]

I use the charter member search feature and I download descriptions to my palm pilot and coordinates to my GPS. It works wonderfully when traveling. I would just watch the GPS and use the find menu option on my palm to look up the descriptions. I went to Arizona for a week and I had every cache in the state, I only found 16

 

looking for a spicy cache?

[ifranz]

I use the charter member search feature and I download descriptions to my palm pilot and coordinates to my GPS. It works wonderfully when traveling. I would just watch the GPS and use the find menu option on my palm to look up the descriptions. I went to Arizona for a week and I had every cache in the state, I only found 16

 

looking for a spicy cache?

[+georgeandmary]

I have the closest 350 caches withing 100 miles of me and have the cache pages loaded on my Handspring.

 

I pick a cache I want to start out with and just keep going to the next closest cache.

 

I look them up on the maps on my gps and decide if it's in the general dicrection that I'm going, and then look it up the palm to read the descrition.

 

I keep most of my unfound caches mapped out on TopoUSA and if I notice a cluster that looks worthy of a days run I'll go for it too.

 

Maps, and descriptions. It helps to have a PDA because printing out all that paper sucks.

 

Then again. All you really need is the coordinates.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

[+Logscaler and Red]

I download all the caches for the areas I am going to go through, dump them into Easy gps to the Mag 330, out of the 330 to the laptop running NG TOPO !, check and see which caches are closest to the route I am going on, throw the rest out and then go back and download and print all the cache pages I need. Works for me anyway.

[+Glorfindel]

I do a lot of these things mentioned. One thing I do not have are any MapSource CD's. I really get into research and planning (that is part of the fun of caching for me) so I guess I need to invest.

 

MetroGuide vs. Topo? I would have the secondary use of MetroGuide US maps while traveling. Does it include all country roads that would help for zeroing in on caches where you do not know the local area? Does Topo include any streets or is it strictly topo information?

[+Rusty & Libby]

Libby & I are planning a trip to Detroit this weekend and hope to hit 30-50 caches. Maybe more if we get lucky.

 

I created a pocket query to get all the caches within 45 miles of downtown Detroit. I get both a .loc file and a .prc

 

Then I used Geobuddy to convert the .loc file to a csv file that I uploaded to Streets & Trips which uses the Mappoint engine but is cheaper.

 

Next I found the greatest concentrations of caches and selected 30 in one area and 30 in another area so that I would have 2 days worth.

I don't avoid multi caches or any others.

 

Streets & Trips will optimize my route for me.

 

Lastly I saved and printed 9 to a page maps & aerial photos for each cache. This helps figure out where to park which is often difficult in strange areas.

 

I have all the caches in the state already in my GPSr and carry my laptop to use the .prc file and check the cache descriptions. Usually we don't actually take the cache page out on the hunt with us unless it is complex, in which case I print it ahead of time.

 

Now I just hope the weather co-operates.

 

Rusty...

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+Alan2]

Hi Glorfindel. Mapsource Topo shows all the roads, just doesn't list most of the names. It also shows many off-road roads, lumber roads, and some other trails in addition to the topographic data. You might want to check the Garmin.com site. It lets you view all their mapping spoftware for areas you want to check beforehand to get an idea of what each product is about.

 

Good luck.

 

Alan

[+Markwell]

Mapblast.com used to be my method of choice, but now they've apparently done away with the coordinate component for their once useful site.

 

I'd stake out a region of caches that I wanted to conquer. My latest (fourth) was any remaining ones on my nearest 25 caches that were unfound. That left 9.

 

I plotted them out in a spreadsheet and calculated approximate search time (based on previous logs, my knowledge of the area and the cacher's ratings), and also drive time.

 

While I had precision of the cache hunts down to minutes, the accuracy I knew would be off. I use the pre-planned time table as a guideline. Since my last mass caching was a group effort, I posted the time table here. There was only one cache that stumped us that day: the first.

 

How far off were we? I think we finished Fairways at 3:30 instead of 2:30, but we through in a virtual drive-by cache and a sit-down lunch into that time table.

 

Planning was half the fun for me.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

[claypigeon58]

For me, it's all about familiarizing myself with the location as best I can before I get there. I first map the coordinates on StreetAtlas running on my PC just to get a feel for where I'll be going, and to identify potential travel routes. Then I go to lostoutdoors.com to get an aerial view of the cache site. This minimizes such surprises as being on the wrong side of a river. Other than that, it's just a matter of picking my circuit to minimize backtracking and driving time.

[+Renegade Knight]

Looks like Logscaler and I use about the same method. I have every cache I might visit in my GPS and upload those into National Geographic Topo. By zooming into an area I can see if a route makes sence. If it does I print the map that shows me caches relative to the 'route'. Then check up on the caches on line to verify they are still there or pick up any clues (like revised coordinates). If a cache proves to be a long drive on 4x4 trails I may use the topo software to plan a route for the GPS. When I'm done I download any routes or points I made into the GPS, grab my maps, and off I go. It makes for a much more enjoyable drive while you cache.

 

When I first started I would use the GPS to go from nearest to nearest but that just shoots you around all over the place.

 

As for your other questions, I don't know what GPS you have. I have the Garmin GPS V. As I understand it.

 

Mapsorce Topo. Great guide well worth the money if your GPS suppors downloadable maps.

CitySelect. I have the 'old' version. It's ok in Metro areas like Boise but sucks in rural areas like Twin Falls and where I live in Kuna.

CitySelect "New" is supposed to be much better in rural areas. Elvish Archer got this one and loves it. He traded in his Vista and got a V when the mapping got better.

Metroguide I'm TOLD is on a par with the new version of CitySelect.

 

When finding a cache without your Topo maps the ability to route is very nice. Since I don't have the new version of the Cityselect software I tend to turn off the city maps and only use the topo, unless I need to route to an address.

[TX2CA]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-v/files/Geocache_Routing_Tools_V1.0.2.zip

 

Last spring I was learning how to do some math functions using Excel. As a semi-practical exercise, I created a spreadsheet that computes the shortest linear route to 25 different locations from a given point. It's loosely based upon a forced computation solution to the classic traveling salesman problem (TSP).

 

Instructions are included in the zip file. It uses EasyGPS and g7towin. The above version is for the waypoint file format g7towin creates from the GPS-V. You can modify it to your heart's content...

 

Enjoy!

 

TX2CA

Been There, Cached That, Bought the Tee-Shirt and the Hat!

[TX2CA]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-v/files/Geocache_Routing_Tools_V1.0.2.zip

 

Last spring I was learning how to do some math functions using Excel. As a semi-practical exercise, I created a spreadsheet that computes the shortest linear route to 25 different locations from a given point. It's loosely based upon a forced computation solution to the classic traveling salesman problem (TSP).

 

Instructions are included in the zip file. It uses EasyGPS and g7towin. The above version is for the waypoint file format g7towin creates from the GPS-V. You can modify it to your heart's content...

 

Enjoy!

 

TX2CA

Been There, Cached That, Bought the Tee-Shirt and the Hat!